The Unexpected (Trilogy)
by Horny-bimbo
Summary: It's basically the hobbit rewritten as I dreamt it. I go on the adventure instead of Bilbo and, as told many times before by the STORY THIEF, I fall in love with Legolas. - Chloe Chandler
1. Chapter 1

_**This is actually ME writing this. As in Chloe! This is a dream I had for the past two nights and I thought I would share it with you. This is the story where I was part of the hobbit adventure instead of bilbo and Gandalf and the dwarves, so please enjoy. - Chloe Chandler**_.

* * *

"Would you like me to take your tray, Mr Baggins?" asked a humble servant.

Bilbo smiled at her, nodding while looking up to her. "Yes, thank you dear." he said. "Have you seen my pipe since this morning? I cannot seem to remember where I left it." Unlike the rest of the hobbits in the shire, Bilbo was very accepting of differences in people but not in land settlements like adventures or travelling. Instead, he preferred the quiet and the peacefulness of his home and the shire, smoking his pipe once or twice a day while looking on to the land he called his home. His servant was however of a different yet similar mind.

"I'm afraid not, Mr Baggins. However, the last time I saw it was by your dresser in your bedroom last evening." said the servant. Also unlike the rest of the hobbits, she was rather un-hobbit-like for someone who lived in the shire, I think that it is because of her physical appearance mainly. She had regular sized feet, she was taller than the rest and she did not possess the same skills as the others. In fact, she was more into the world and books than farming and pig-marching. She always had her head in the clouds, she did. Also unlike other hobbits, her hair was shoulder length and a bronze colour with sapphire eyes and slightly tanned rosy cheeks. She was curvy but skinny, and had the elegant smile of an enchantress. No one could compare to her in beauty. As well as the most beautiful, she is classed as the strangest of them all.

Bilbo clapped his hands together in relief, "Ah yes, I left it on my dresser! Thank you, Chloe." He carried on reading through his morning books, inherited by his mother and his grandmother.

"It is no trouble, sir. Just doing my work." she said as she cleaned up the tray of two plates and a finished cup of tea. "As always." she muttered to herself. Although she loved to work for Mr Baggins, considering that he offered her a home with him in return for service, she wanted to run across a new world, a new beginning. She wanted something new and strange in her life, but she wasn't sure entirely what it was at the moment. For now, she was stuck in a loving home with a wonderful master and friendly neighbours.

"Oh, Chloe, there should be some post sent from Lucius Proudfoot at the prancing pony, something about me needing to read it as it is important. Be a dear and collect it for me please."

She nodded, "Yes, sir." And she grabbed her cardigan.

* * *

The morning air was very soothing and instantly waving hello as she walked outside the front door, which she had to bend a bit more than slightly to fit through what with her largeness. With a smile and merry humming tune, she reached for the her basket to head off but... For some strange and abnormal reason, a strange cloaked man with a pointy hat and a staff was standing there proudly, staring at her with an unnoticeable smile. To be polite, "Good morning, sir." she said.

"What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"

"All of them at once, I suppose." she said, slightly confused. And being a servant of Mr Baggins, it was her job to be able to identify who came to the door. "I'm sorry sir, do you have any business here?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" he boomed happily. "In fact, I'm looking for someone special,someone keen to travel and... to share an adventure with me." His bushy eyebrow was raised when adventure had been mentioned. It gave Chloe a strange feeling that she should no longer be talking to this stranger. Then again, she seemed a bit fascinated by his sudden forwardness in such a rash subject but she didn't want to keep Mr Baggins waiting more than he should, so she decided to change the direction of this abnormal conversation.

"Well, we do not take the chances of adventures here, good sir. You might want to try over the hill or across the water. I'm sure the other hobbits at the Pipe mines would be glad to accept."

"I think you want to get rid of me..." he said with a tiny but noticeable hint that he wasn't just going to leave without a proper introduction. "I think it would be wise to give names before so."

"Of course!" she said with a gasp. "How rude of me. My name is-"

The strange man interrupted, "Chloe Chandler, yes I know who you are, it's just polite to ask for a name for such a lovely thing. And you remember my name too, though you don't remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means..." he hummed and moved his lips, "Me."

"Wait a minute! Are you saying that you are the wandering wizard? THE Gandalf who made such spectacular fireworks for the Tooks down the road?" she asked, excitedly.

He nodded happily, "Yes, that is me."

"Oh how wonderful!" He looked down to his feet with a bashfulness. "I had no idea that you are still in business!" That wiped the smile clean off.

"We'll, I am pleased to know that you remember something about me. Even if it is only my fireworks."

The cheery moment changed to somewhat an awkward one, but Chloe had to set off quickly and head to the prancing pony before things could get any stranger. "Well, I better be off, so... Good morning!" And she ran with her basket and cardigan to the prancing pony, leaving Gandalf to make his mark on the front gate.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr Baggins, I'm back!" said Chloe as she held her basket filled with flowers given by the Gamgees down the road. "I've also brought some chrysanthemums for the flower pots by the windows!" She took off her cardigan and placed it by the chair near the front door, meanwhile holding her basket without any difficulty. "And I managed to ask Mr Lanwood if there were any new changes in the Pipe construction, fortunately, nothing has been changed other than for the better."

"Brilliant! Thank you my girl!" he called back from his study. "I know you only just got back, but you wouldn't mind in fixing up luncheon, would you dear?"

She shook her head and laughed, "No, of course not sir. I'll hop to it right away. What would you like?"

"Oh, do you think you can make your famous hazelnut soup with side-"

"The side salad and, of course, including your favourite salmon fried in lemon juice, I'll even include the oaknuts you love."

"Wonderful! Thank you my dear." he said and clapped as hands as he placed his quill in the ink pot. "And how was the old boy today?"

"He was fine. Just busy as usual... You know how that fellow is."

"Don't we all! He never takes a day off."

"And it might be a bit busier down the road as well. All those pigs that Freathing has got will give him just about enough mayhem to run the old Pub out of business! It is madness!"

He boomed in laughter. "I bet."

"However," she said, "I did meet someone very strange today outside the front door. He looked to be one of them riders outside the shire."

"Really now?" Bilbo asked, fascinated. He and Chloe could talk about anything at anytime of day, and he was glad of it because most of the time he could not keep up with another hobbit's dwaddling on. "And what did he want?"

"He said something about sharing..." she paused to think of the easiest way to say it but thought again of making it straight to the point. "Sharing an adventure."

"An adventure?"

"Yes. And I said to him to go over the hill or across the water. I should have said Bree instead, it keeps the distance between us and abnormality."

"Now, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures, Chloe." he said, laughing. "Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner, hm, mm." Bilbo got up and checked his mail, sorting through it while clucking to himself. "And that will make you go off your head if you miss a meal."

"I see." she said, a little bit saddened, and he looked quite uncomfortable because of the way she stared at him as if waiting for him to say something further on the subject. "It just seemed strange though, just for him to come by as if he were selling buttons at the door. A bit... strange..."

It was quiet for a few moments but Bilbo didn't want to further-talk this subject and decided to drop it. "Well," he said, "It turns out that Lucius wants me to go on a special trip with him to gather some southfarthing pipe weed. Listen!"

_'Old friend,_

_I believe we need to sort out the issue of the low-resources concerning the southfarthing pipe weed. None of our neighbours have any left and unfortunately we need assistance to recreate it, meaning we need to head to West of Bree and meet Mr Guylian at the Winthorian Inn. Unfortunately, I cannot go on my own because Mr Guylian is rather cautious of who enters the Inn on their own, and because you know him very well and he knows your family like his own, I would like to offer you a place in joining me on this journey to West of Bree as my social and business witness, just so I can complete this mission successfully as well as require your help considering my memory has not been doing me to great lately. Meet me on October 24th at my house down the road at precisely 2 o'clock in the afternoon. We shall discuss further business on the road._

_Sincerely, Lucius.'_

She nodded, "I think you should go."

"Oh no! I cannot leave you in this house by yourself. I feel like I will put more pressure on you by giving you more work than you need to do. I cannot just vanish without leaving someone to take care of you. Although you're my servant and I am glad that you acceptingly work without issues, I will NOT accept! I'm sorry but I won't!"

"I'll fine, Mr Baggins." she said. "The bedrooms are cleared and made up, the kitchen only needs the table to be polished and the rest of the house just needs the windows cleaned. Other than that, there is no work to be done. And I think you should go anyway, it will give you chance to see new things and be able to actually relax. You'll be able to get away from writing and being locked in your study all day." she said. "Just go, Mr Baggins. It will be good for you." And she smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Night time had arrived, and Chloe packed Bilbo's things and prepared his coats before he set off at precisely 5:49pm. He gave his farewell and said he'd be back by the end of November latest, she couldn't wait for his return. In Bag End, Chloe prepared a dinner of fish; she settled down at the table, tucked a napkin around her thighs, and began sprinkling salt on her fish. Unbeknownst to her, the symbol on the front gate was glowing, and the shadow of a person appeared on the door. In the middle of squeezing lemon juice on her fish, she looked up in surprise as the doorbell suddenly rang. "Who could that be? I didn't ask for any visitors. Unless it be Mr Gamgee asking for trimming the grass again." She answered the door to find a tall, bald dwarf on the doorstep towering just a couple inches smaller than her. The dwarf greeted her and bowed slightly. "Ah. This is a pleasant surprise."

"Aye, it is. Dwalin, at your service."

Shell shocked, Chloe let out a noise like a whimper. Coming to her senses, she quickly tied her robe tighter and stood slightly taller, although she was still confused. "Chloe Chandler, at yours." Dwalin walked inside without an invitation. "D-do we know each other?"

"No." he said, rather rudely which seemed normal for a dwarf like himself. "Which way, lassie? Is it down here?"

"I-is what down where?" she asked. "What are you talking about?"

Dwalin dumped some of his stuff on the ground and thrust the rest onto Chloe. "Supper. He said there'd be food, and lots of it."

Chloe was presently even more confused. "H-He said? Who said?" Dwalin sat at Chloe's spot on the kitchen table, eating Chloe's dinner, while Chloe sat behind him, confused.

Dwalin had eaten all the flesh from the fish, then the head as well, and Chloe looked on in disgust. "Mmmm. … Very good, this. Any more?"

"What? Uh, oh, yes, yes!" she said quietly.

"Ah." he exclaimed calmly.

"Help yourself." Chloe brought over a plate of her home-baked mint biscuits; she hurriedly hid one behind her back for herself and Dwalin began stuffing them in his mouth. "Mmmm. Not to be rude, good sir but, it's just that, um... I wasn't expecting company." The bell rang again, and Chloe looked up in alarm.

Dwalin looked at her in disappointment. "That'll be the door."

"What in the name of Baggins is going on?"

Chloe opened the door and found an old, white-haired dwarf waiting and bowing with a gentle smile. "Balin, at your service."

Feeling more surprised than the first time, the only thing she could say was "Good evening."

"Yes, yes it is, though I think it might rain later." he said, looking to the sky with delight. "Am I late?" he asked gently.

"I'm sorry! Late for what?" she asked.

Balin then saw Dwalin, who was trying to get more of Chloe's biscuits from the jar. "Oh, ha ha! Evening, brother. Heh, heh."

"Oh, by my beard, you are shorter and wider than last we met."

"Wider, not shorter. Sharp enough for both of us." Laughing, they greeted each other amicably. Putting their arms on each other's shoulders, they smashed their foreheads together. Chloe just looked on in wonder, unable to speak for just a few moments.

"Uh, excuse me; sorry, I hate to interrupt, ah, but the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house." she said. Ignoring her, Dwalin and Balin had gone into the pantry, where they are pouring ale and examining the food. As they talked to each other, Chloe continues her speech.

"Have you eaten?"

"It's not that I don't like visitors; I-I like visitors as much as my master does, but we both do like to know them before they come visiting." she said.

But Dwalin and Balin were not listening to Chloe, they were still rifling through the pantry.

"Ah, that looks very nice indeed." said Balin as he picked up a lump of cheese.

"What's this?" asked Dwalin.

"I don't know," said Balin and he smelt it, "Cheese."

"The thing is, um-"

"It's gone blue." said Balin.

"It's riddled with mould." Dwalin took the cheese and tossed it out of the pantry, past the still-speaking Chloe.

"The thing is, um, I, I don't know either of you, not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I uh, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry." The two dwarves paused and looked at Chloe in silence.

"Hm. Apology accepted." said Balin.

"Mm!"

"Ah, now fill it up, brother, don't stint. I could eat again, if you insist." said Balin.

Balin gave a tankard to Dwalin so that it could be filled with ale. In the background, the doorbell rang again. Chloe opened it to find two young dwarves. Upon seeing them, Chloe made a small noise which would sound like a moan make with a horse-neigh.

"Fili."

"And Kili."

Together, they bowed. "At your service."

"You must be Zoey Caddler."

"Nope, it is Chloe Chandler, and you can't come in. You've come to the wrong house!" Chloe tried to close the door, but Kili stopped it with his foot.

"What? Has it been cancelled?" exclaimed Kili.

"No one told us."

Surprised, Chloe was once again practically speechless. "Can-? No-nothing's been cancelled."

"Well, that's a relief." said Kili, and both the dwarves pushed their way in and began unloading their stuff on to Chloe.

"Careful with these," said Fili, "I just had 'em sharpened."

"It's nice, this place. D'you you do it yourself?" Kili scraped the mud off his boots on the edge of a chest standing nearby.

"Ah, no, it's been in the Baggins family for years. I'm just a servant. And that's my master's glory box, can you please not do that?!"

"Fili, Kili, come on, give us a hand." said Dwalin.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Okay, I want to make this similar to the movie to confuse you a bit less. But I hope you understand that I am staying up very late writing this for you, credit does not go to me but to Tolkien, Peter Jackson and the writers and others who worked on the film as they are the ones who made the movie possible._**

**_There may be some changes to add a bit of originality, but if you don't like it, please let me know so I can make some changes. And I hope that if you didn't see the movie, you can understand by reading this as I take Bilbo's place. To be able to write this, I'm actually watching the movie and reading subtitles trying to keep up and pausing this every few seconds just so I can keep up. I really hope you like it guys. (I've got the Hobbit on Blu Ray)._**

**_Love you loads, and your welcome for getting rid of Tori. And yes she has apologised but she didn't want to say it straight to you in case she fainted (for some reason she gets claustrophobic for things like this etc. and I don't know how it works because she's in a big space)._**

**_Sincerely, Chloe Chandler._**

* * *

"Mister Dwalin." said Kili, and the dwarves laughed.

"Let's shove this in the hallway," said Balin, "Otherwise we'll never get everyone in."

The dwarves prepared to shift the furniture around to create a meeting/feasting place. "Ev-everyone? How many more are there?" asked Chloe, rather panicked.

"Where do you want this?"

The doorbell rang very hard and longer than before. Chloe, in anger, walked quickly toward the door and she dumped all the swords and other equipment in her arms to the side along the way.

"Oh no. No, no! There's nobody home." she shouted angrily. "Go away, and bother somebody else. There's far too many dwarves in my master's dining room as it is. If- if this is some Tookland-fool's idea of a joke, ha, I can only say, it is in very poor taste." Chloe opened the door, and an entire heap of dwarves, eight to be exact, fell in. Struggling to get up, they grumbled and yelled at each other, saying to get off of each other, and Gandalf was standing behind them.

She glared at him neutrally. "Gandalf."

The entire group of dwarves, twelve of them, began raiding the pantry and taking out all of the food. Chloe tried to tell them to put it back, but they ignored her. "Those are Mr Baggins' plates! Excuse me! Not the wine. Put that back. Put that back! Not the jam, please! ... Excuse me." Bombur walked out of the pantry with three entire wheels of cheese "Excuse me. A tad excessive, isn't it? Would you like a cheese knife?"

"Cheese knife?" said Bofur. "He eats it by the block."

"How? It's really thick!" she exclaimed. She noticed that Oin and Gloin were walking through the hall carrying chairs from one of Bilbo's rooms. "No, no, that's Mr Baggins' Grandpa Mungo's chair! No, I'm sorry, you'll have to take it back please. Take it back... It's antique, not for sitting on! Mr Baggins will behead me if this house is out of order. Thank you! That's a book, not a coaster. Put that map down, that is not to be played with, thank you."

"I cannot hear what you're saying, lassie!" said Oin, a mischief hinted in his laugh.

The dwarves continued bringing all of the food and furniture into the dining room. Dori approached Gandalf with a tray and some tea. "Excuse me, Mr Gandalf, can I tempt you with a nice cup of chamomile tea?"

"Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." said Gandalf and he walked out of the dining room, trying to avoid the scurrying dwarves. He hit his head on the chandelier, and he began counting the dwarves on his fingers. "Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori...Ori."

Chloe wrestled a bowl of tomatoes away from Nori. Bifur, the dwarf with an axe in his head, approached Gandalf and talked to him in Khuzdul (untranslated) and with body motions.

"Yes, you're quite right, Bifur. We appear to be one dwarf short."

"He is late, is all." said Dwalin. "He travelled North to a meeting of our kin. He will come."

"Mr Gandalf?" said Dori.

"Hmmm?"

"A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's, eh, got a fruity bouquet."

"Ah, Cheers." said Gandalf, and he drank the tiny cup of wine Dori offered him, then looked sadly at the cup, wanting a little more. "Mm. I think we might need bigger glasses."

The dwarves, sitting in the dining room, had a grand feast with all of the food. They were quite rude and messy about it. Bofur threw some food to his brother, Bombur. "Bombur, catch!"

Bombur caught the food in his mouth, and everyone cheered. As everyone began throwing food around, Chloe walked away in disgust. She looked at her master's pantry in shock; it had been entirely cleared of food. Fili walked on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking aside the food in his way. "Who wants an ale? There you go."

"Let him have another drink!" said Dwalin

"Here you go." said Fili.

Dwalin poured his ale into Oin's hearing trumpet, and as Oin splutters in anger, everyone else laughed. Oin puts his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blows the ale out of it, making it squeal. One of the dwarves yelled, "On the count of three!" and the dwarves pounded their tankards together. Someone counted, "One!...Two!"

Then all the dwarves went quiet and began drinking their ale together. They were incredibly messy, as ale fell all over their faces and ran down their beards. When finished drinking, they began burping; the youngest, Ori, let out the biggest burp. The dwarves laughed merrily. Chloe looked away in disgust.

When the meal finished, the dwarves left the table and began walking about. Chloe grabbed a doily back from Nori. "Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!"

"But it's full of holes!" exclaimed Bofur.

"It's supposed to look like that, it's crochet." she said, slightly angered and wanting to hit something.

"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you got the balls for it."

"Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!" said Chloe, cursing inwardly.

"My dear child, what on earth is the matter?" said Gandalf rather sincerely.

"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves!" she exclaimed angrily, throwing her hands about slightly. "What are they doing here?"

"Oh, they're quite a merry gathering, once you get used to them."

Nori had a chain of sausages over his shoulder, and Bofur grabbed them from him so it led to the start of them playing tug-of-war with the sausages.

"I don't want to get used to them." said Chloe. "The state of the kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pi-pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my master's house!"

Ori walked over to Chloe innocently. "Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?"

"Here you go, Ori, give it to me." said Fili.

Fili took the plate from Ori and threw it to Kili, who threw it behind his back to Bifur, who was standing at the sink in the kitchen. Bifur caught it behind his back, without even looking at it. Kili, Fili, and other dwarves began throwing the plates, bowls, and utensils to each other, eventually throwing them to the sink to be washed. As dishware flew through the air, Gandalf ducked to avoid getting hit. "Oh!" he said.

Chloe intervened. "Excuse me, that's my master's mother's West Farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!" The dwarves at the tablet began rhythmically drumming on the tablet with utensils and their fists. "And can-can you not do that? You'll blunt them!"

"Ooh, d'hear that, lads?" said Bofur. "She says we'll blunt the knives."

Kili began singing and the other dwarves joined him as they continue throwing the dishware.

_"Blunt the knives, bend the forks_

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_

_That's what Chloe Chandler hates!_

_Cut the cloth and tread on the fat_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_

_Splash the wine on every door_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole_

_When you've finished, if any are whole_

_Send them down the hall to roll..._

_That's what Chloe Chandler hates!"_

Chloe huffed up in anger, only to find all the dishes stacked neatly and cleanly. The dwarves and Gandalf laughed. Suddenly, there were three loud knocks on the door, and everyone fell silent.

"He is here."


	5. Chapter 6

They opened the door, and there stood Thorin. He had entered Bag End. "Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the front gate."

"Mark?" said Chloe in confusion that was rather rapidly replaced with slight anger and realisation. "There's no mark on that gate. I painted that gate for Mr Baggins a week ago!" she said.

"There is a mark; I put it there myself, dear girl." said Gandalf with a smile for an apology. "Chloe Chandler, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"So, this is the girl. Tell me, Ms Chandler, have you done much fighting?" asked Thorin, looking deep into her eyes.

She was now more than confused. "I beg your pardon, sir?"

"Axe or sword?" he said. "What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, if you must know, I fail to see why that's relevant." she said.

"Thought as much. She looks more like a grocer than a burglar." The dwarves all laughed, and they walked back to the dining table. As Thorin ate, the rest of them talked to him.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" asked Balin.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." The dwarves murmured their joy.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say?" asked Dwalin. "Is Dain with us?"

Thorin swallowed before saying, "They will not come." And the dwarves murmured their disappointment. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." Further disappointed murmurs were sounded.

Chloe seemed to gain a sudden but small interest. "You're going on a quest?"

Gandalf then said, "Chloe, my dear girl, let us have a little more light." She brought a candle to the table, where Gandalf had spread out a map which was in his pocket. "Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."

Chloe read the map from over his shoulder. "The Lonely Mountain."

Gloin nodded, "Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time."

Oin nodded in agreement, "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

Chloe, hearing "the beast," looked concerned. "Uh, What beast?"

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." said Bofur. "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals-"

Chloe interrupted him. "Yes, I know what a dragon is."

Ori stood from his seat. "I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." Several of the dwarves began to shout.

"Sit down!" said Dori.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." said Balin.

The dwarves started objecting, saying things like, "Hey, who are you calling dim?" "Watch it!", and "No!".

"What did he say?" said Oin.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" said Fili, proudly.

Kili also stated, "And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

Gandalf was growing bashful with the sudden attention, "Oh, well, now, uh, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I-"

"How many, then?" asked Dori.

"Uh, what?"

"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!"

"Hm." Gandalf embarrassedly started coughing on his pipe smoke; the dwarves jumped to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf had killed. Thorin jumped up in anger and bellows, silencing the rest. "Shazara! If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!"

All the dwarves cheered.

"You forget: the front gate is sealed." said Balin. "There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." said Gandalf. Twiddling his fingers, he produced a dwarvish key, ornately wrought. Thorin looked at it in wonder.

"How came you by this?" asked Thorin.

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf gave the key to Thorin as everyone looked on in wonder.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." said Fili.

Gandalf pointed at runes on his map with his pipe. "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."

"There's another way in!"

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it." said Gandalf. "But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." said Ori.

"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." said Chloe.

Gloin looked at her. "And are you?"

"Am I what?" said Chloe.

Oin began to make fun of the new information. "He said she's an expert! Hey hey!" Several dwarves laughed.

Chloe was astounded. "M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. Last time I checked, I've been a servant to Mr Baggins since my mother passed away. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Ms Chandler. She's hardly burglar material." said Balin, and Chloe nodded in agreement.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." said Dwalin.

Chloe continued nodding in agreement; the dwarves began arguing. Gandalf, growing angry, rose to his full height and made a darkness over the group and started speaking in his "powerful" voice. The others stopped in awe. "Enough! If I say Chloe Chandler is a burglar, then a burglar she is." Gandalf went back to his normal self. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but

unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Ms Chandler. There's a lot more to her than appearances suggest, and she's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including herself. You must trust me on this. She has lived the life of a hobbit for long enough to act like one and gain the personalities as well as abilities."

Thorin gave in. "Very well. We will do it your way."

Chloe, however, was of an opposite mind. "No, no, no."

"Give him the contract." said Thorin.

Chloe was practically begging inwardly. "Please."

"Alright, we're off!" said Bofur.

Balin handed Chloe a long contract. "It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

Chloe stared at him in surprise. "Funeral arrangements?"

As she stepped back a few feet to read the contract, Thorin leant toward Gandalf and whispered to him. "I cannot guarantee her safety."

"Understood." said Gandalf.

"Nor will I be responsible for her fate."

"Agreed."

Chloe read parts of the contract out loud. "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any." She nodded, "Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations... evisceration... incineration?"

Bofur nodded, "Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye."

She began to look a little breathless. "Huh."

Balin was now growing concerned for her. "You all right, lass?"

She bent over, nauseous and pained. "Uh, yes, yes... Just feeling a bit faint."

"Think furnace with wings." said Bofur.

She began to pant heavily. "Air, I-I-I need air."

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." said Bofur.

She tried to compose as the others stared at her. She looked to the dwarves and then into space. "Hmmm. Nope."

Chloe fell on the floor in a faint.

Gandalf sighed. "Ah, very helpful, Bofur."


	6. Chapter 7

Chloe sat in her master's chair, holding a mug and talking to Gandalf. "I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment. Just a moment."

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me; when did doilies and your master's dishes become so important to you? What changed you? I remember a little girl who always was running off in search of the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young girl who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the horizon. When you lived with your mother years ago," at the mentioning of her mother she stared at him sadly, "You would always wander off on your own just to climb trees and search for wild beasts to slay! The world is not in your stories and work dear girl, it's out there."

Chloe was more than stressed. "I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a servant of Bag End."

"You are also a Chandler. Did you know that your great grandfather the Master Arthenis Chandler was one of the finest blade-wielders in the land of Gondor?"

She shook her head. "No."

Gandalf smiled. "Well, he was in the Battle of Gondor, as Captain of the Gondorian army. He swung his sword so fast at a blurring speed that it knocked the Enemy's head clean off, and he swung a club straight after so it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time."

Chloe shook her head in disbelief. "I do believe you made that up."

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." said Gandalf.

She was silently thinking for a moment before she raised the one question she dreaded the answer to. "Can you promise that I will come back?"

"No." he said. "And if you do, you will not be the same."

She sighed, "That's what I thought. I'm sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong person."

She walked away down the hall. Gandalf sighed and Balin and Thorin saw Chloe walking away. "It appears we have lost our burglar. Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; hardly the stuff of legend."

"There are a few warriors amongst us." said Thorin.

"Old warriors."

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that."

"You don't have to do this." said Balin. "You have a choice. You've done honourably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor."

Thorin held out the key Gandalf gave him. "From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

Balin sighed, nodded. "Then we are with you, laddie. We will see it done."

The dwarves gathered into the living room, smoking their pipes by the fire. They all began humming, and soon Thorin began to sing, and the others joined him. Gandalf listened from

nearby; Chloe listened from her bedroom.

_"Far over the misty mountains cold_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

_We must away ere break of day_

_To find our long-forgotten gold_

_The pines were roaring on the height_

_The winds were moaning in the night_

_The fire was red, it flaming spread_

_The trees like torches blazed with light"_

The next morning, Chloe woke up on her bed, and suddenly realised that the house is very quiet. She walked all around, expecting to run into the dwarves; however, there is no one there. The house has been cleaned up completely from the mess of the party last night, almost as if it had never happened. "Hello?" She seemed a bit lonesome. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Contract sitting on a table; she looked at it, then lookup up with a determined face.


	7. Chapter 8

Chloe ran out the door of Bag End and down the path, wearing a travelling pack and holding the contract, smiling like a child receiving presents on her birthday. And she was about to go where she wanted to go for the longest of time. She was going on an ran through Hobbiton, jumping over fences and pumpkins in her haste. Their neighbours looked on in confusion and shook their heads as if to say she's mad. "Oi! Where are you off to, Miss?" shouted one of the neighbours.

"Can't stop, I'm already late!"

"Late for what?"

"I'm going on an adventure!"

"Where to?!" they shouted again.

She shook her head and laughed. "Everywhere!"

The dwarves were riding their ponies, and Gandalf on his horse, down a path through a wooded area. A few words of their conversation were heard, including "waste of time" and "use of a girl".

Chloe ran up from behind them. "Wait! Wait!" Some dwarves stopped their ponies. Breathing unevenly, she caught up to them and handed Balin the contract with exhausted arms. "There you go! I signed it!"

Balin took the contract and inspected it with a pocket-glass, skimming through it quite quickly. She hoped that everything was in the good hands she expected it to be. Her hopes remained when he smiled at her. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Miss Chandler, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

The dwarves cheered but Thorin didn't look too impressed. "Give her a horse."

"Wait a minute! A horse?!" she asked, and she gave a sudden shriek, "WAGH!" She was lifted onto a white mare. She sat on the mare, looking quite terrified. The mare neighed and tossed his head, making her quite uncomfortable.

"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." said Oin. Nori tossed a sack of money to Oin; sacks of money began passing between the dwarves. "Hey, hey, hey!" Some of the dwarves laughed. More sacks were tossed by Chloe and Gandalf's heads, leaving Chloe in a haze of curiosity.

"What is that about, Gandalf?" asked Chloe.

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you would turn up." said Gandalf. "Most of them made the bet that you wouldn't."

"Ah." she replied. "What did you think?"

"Hmmm." Gandalf suddenly caught a sack of money tossed to him and put it in his bag. At the look on her face (wide eyes and a partially dropped jaw) he laughed light-heartedly. "My dear girl, I never doubted you for a second." Out of nowhere, she suddenly sneezed, making a little squeal and scrunching her nose, scratching it gently and sighing with a quiet moan of annoyance as if she were ill. "What on earth is the matter, dear girl?" asked Gandalf.

"Oh. It's just some horse-hair." she replied with a small moan and a sniff. Chloe began to search her pockets for her handkerchief. "I don't my handkerchief. Is there anything I can borrow?"

Bofur tore a strip of cloth from his clothing and tossed it to Chloe. "Here! Use this."

Chloe caught the rag and looked at it before giving her thanks with a gentle smile. "Thank you, Bofur. I'm sure your grime will be gone in no time." The dwarves laughed and began to continue their journey.

"Move on." said Thorin.

"Gandalf, is there anything else I should know?"

"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Chloe Chandler, before we reach our journey's end. And I daresay that you are quite the youth with adventure inside your heart and you will be far more than that when you return. You were raised to the rolling hills and little rivers of the shire, but home is now behind you and the world is ahead."


	8. Chapter 9

The company camped for the night near the edge of a cliff. As Gloin slept, tiny flying insects were sucked into his mouth every time he inhaled, and they were expelled when he exhaled. Chloe watched in humour, wishing she had something to capture the moment, then finally got up and walked around. Most of the dwarves were asleep; Gandalf, Fili, and Kili were still awake. Chloe walked over to her horse and gave her an apple, after checking to see that no one was looking. "Hello, boy. That's a good boy. It's our little secret, Myrr; you must tell no one. sh, sh." She then heard a scream in the night air and became worried. She ran over to Fili and Kili. "What was that?"

"Orcs." said Kili.

Another scream was heard.

Thorin, who was dozing, jerked awake upon hearing the word "Orcs."

"Orcs?" said Chloe in confusion.

Fili nodded. "Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep." said Kili. "Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood."

Chloe looked away in fright; Fili and Kili looked at each other and began laughing.

Thorin stormed over in anger. "You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

Kili looked down in thoughtlessness. "We didn't mean anything by it."

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin walked off to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the valley; Balin walked up to Fili and Kili.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first. Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King."

Chloe sat on in interest, fascination but also in sadness.

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us... That is when I saw him." Her eyes widened. "A young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent... wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield."

"Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken... Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

Thorin turned away from the view beyond the cliff; the entire Company was awake and standing in awe, staring at him. Thorin walked between them toward the fire.

"But the pale orc?" asked Chloe. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came." said Thorin. "That filth died of his wounds long ago." And he walked back to his bedroll, ignorance leaving him in bliss. And everyone else went back to sleep too, leaving Chloe staring to the stars for the rest of the night.


	9. Chapter 10

The Company rode their ponies through a muddy forest as it rained. They all look cold, wet, and miserable. "Here, Mr Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" said Dori.

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard."

"Are there any?" asked Chloe.

"What?"

"Other wizards?"

"There are five of us." said Gandalf. "The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards; you know, I've quite forgotten their names."

"And who is the fifth?" asked Chloe.

"Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown."

She thought about her question but she wasn't sure if she was careful enough. "Is he a great Wizard or is he... more like you?"

He seemed slightly offended. "I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

Radagast ran through a forest and examined a dying plant. "Not good; not good at all."

As Radagast continued running, many dead animals were laid around. Radagast plucked a mushroom and put it in his bag. He felt and tasted the sap of a tree which appeared to be infected; he grew more and more worried. He whistled, and his bird appeared. Radagast lifted his hat, and the bird and its mate landed in their nest, which is on Radagast's head. Radagast gasped and ran over to a hedgehog lying on the floor; it appeared to be dying. He cradled it.

"Oh no! Sebastian! Good gracious."

Running through the forest, Radagast brought Sebastian to his home, Rhosgobel. There, he attempted to cure the hedgehog using various medicinal and magical techniques, to no avail. The hedgehog's family surrounded it, and Radagast told them to move. "Move back! Give him some air, for goodness sake!"

Radagast continued his treatments, but they didn't work. The hedgehog writhed in pain.

"I don't understand why it's not working; it's not as if it's witchcraft..." A strange look came over his face, and he spoke in a different, deeper voice than before. "Witchcraft. But it is. A dark and powerful magic."

Hearing a noise, Radagast looked up and saw several giant spiders crawling up the side of his house.

Radagast hurriedly braced his door shut with a bench. The hedgehog suddenly croaked, gasping for air, then seemingly expired. Radagast seemed to be about to cry; however, the house started creaking with the sound of the spiders crawling over the roof. Radagast ran over to his staff and pulled out the blue stone embedded at the top. As all the small rodents and other animals in his house scrambled away, Radagast cradled Sebastian and whispered a spell, while holding the blue stone to the hedgehog's muzzle.

"Lerya laman naiquentallo"

"Sí a hlare ómaquettar"

"Na coilerya en-vinyanta"

"Sí a hlare ómaquettar. Na coilerya"

"en-vinyanta."

The spiders began to break through the thatched roof. Radagast went into a trance-like state, and his spell grew more and more powerful, as darkness fell over the house. A black, inky shadow was slowly extracted from the hedgehog and into the stone. Suddenly, the hedgehog gasped for air and woke up, and light returned to the area; the spiders crawled off the house. Running outside, Radagast saw spider webs all around his house, and he saw the giant spiders crawling off into the forest.

"Where on this good earth did those foul creatures come from?"

His bird flew to him, and he conversed with it. "The old fortress? Show me."

Radagast rode through the forest on a sleigh pulled by several large rabbits. As he proceeds, the forest became dark and gloomy, covered in cobwebs. An old, ruined fortress seen in the distance.


	10. Chapter 11

The Company arrived at an old, abandoned farmhouse, but not in good condition. It's wooden walls were tattered and twisted with ruin, slightly burnt in its grey tone and the poles were leaning left as if to break at any moment but it didn't as the wooden poles were dug deeply into the earth. Chloe opened her eyes to the ruined farmhouse, a bit disappointed that something made possibly of beauty could be ruined by fire and age. "Gandalf, what is that?"

"It is a farmhouse, my dear girl. A farmer and his family used to live here." said Gandalf. "They were burnt inside and buried among many other corpses far into the mountains. Though I do not know why, it was not a decision of refusal taken lightly..."

She looked to the farmhouse again in sadness as well as fear. She had no idea that such terrible things like this happened away from the shire and Bree, and she gulped to rid herself of the large lump forming in her throat. Thorin examined it quite quickly before nodding his head. "We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them. Oin, Gloin."

"Aye?" said Gloin.

"Get a fire going."

"Right you are." said Oin.

Gandalf stumbled a little walking over to Thorin. "I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley."

Thorin shook his head and squinted his eyes a bit. "I have told you already, I will not go near that place."

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." said Gandalf, seeming a bit pushed away along with his wisdom. "We shall need all the best help we could possibly get."

"I do not need their advice."

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us." said Gandalf, and there was a glint of light in his eyes made by the hope that Thorin would change his mind and not refuse him with such Dwarfish stubbornness.

Thorin stormed in his steps. "Help? A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

Gandalf shook his head and scrunched his lips. "You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep."

In a huff of anger, Gandalf stomped off while leaning on his staff as support, leaving the Company. "Is everything all right? Gandalf, where are you going?" Chloe asked.

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense."

"Who's that?"

"Myself, Miss Chandler!" he boomed deeply and loudly. "I've had enough of dwarves for one day."

Thorin nudged Bombur. "Come on, we're hungry."

Chloe turned to Balin. "Is he coming back?" And he looked entirely unsure of the answer.

In the early night, Bombur prepared a dinner of soup made from a rabbit and a large variety of herbs, and the dwarves ate it rather eagerly and happily, but they were quiet about it too. Chloe was more concerned about Gandalf than anyone else. She was worried about him even though she knew that he could take care of himself.

"He's been a long time." said Chloe.

Bofure gave her a strange look. "Who?"

"Gandalf."

"He's a wizard! He does as he chooses." He handed Chloe two bowls of soup. "Here, do us a favour: take this to Fili and Kili, lass."

She went out in the dark to where Fili and Kili were watching the ponies. They were staring out into the dark and didn't take the soup from Chloe when she handed it to them. "What's the matter?"

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies." said Kili.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem." said Fili. "We had sixteen. Now there's fourteen."

"Daisy and Bungo are missing."

She now seemed unsure of what to do. "Well, that's not good. That is not good at all. Shouldn't we tell Thorin?"

Fili fumbled slightly with his feet. "Uh, no. Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it."

Chloe looked around and saw some trees recently uprooted and laying on the ground. "Well, uh...look, some-something big uprooted these trees."

Kili nodded. "That was our thinking."

"Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous."

Fili pointed in a certain direction. "Hey! There's a light. Over here! Stay down."

The three of them quietly ran through the forest toward the light Fili had seen, and they hid behind a log when they realised that it was a fire. Harsh laughter sounded from near by.

Chloe looked slightly anxious and fearful. "What is it?"

Kili turned to her deadly and seriously. "Trolls."

Both of the dwarves ran toward the fire; Chloe started to follow them, then returned to grab the two bowls of soup she left on the log. She then continued following them and hid behind a tree and saw a giant mountain troll walking toward the fire, carrying a pony under each arm. "He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something."

Kili nodded. "Yes; you should. Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small."

She realised what he meant and shook her head. "No-no-no-"

Kili nodded. "They'll never see you."

"No, no, no..."

"It's perfectly safe! We'll be right behind you." said Fili. "If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl."

They pushed Chloe toward the fire and she began whispering Fili's instructions to herself, trying to remember them, but was getting mixed up. "Twice like a barn owl, twice like a brown-once like a brown? Are you sure this is a good idea?"

She turned around, but Fili and Kili were already out of sight. The three trolls sat around a fire on which a cauldron of something was cooking. "Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow-"

"Quit yer' griping. These ain't sheep. These is West Nags!"

"Oh, I don't like `orse. I never `ave. Not enough fat on them."

"Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of me teeth."

One of the trolls sneezed into the pot boiling over a fire.

"Oh, that's lovely, that is; a floater."

"Oh, might improve the flavour!"

"Ah! There's more where that came from." He began to sneeze more, but the other troll grabbed him by the nose. Chloe, unseen, got behind them.

"Oh no you don't." said the troll and threw the sneezing troll down.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Sit down."

He sneezed again, this time into a handkerchief he pulled out from behind him. He sniffed for a long time.

Chloe, reaching the pen in which the ponies were held, attempted to untie the ropes. She hid as one of the trolls turned towards her. "I hope you're gonna gut these nags. I don't like the stinky parts."

The left troll hit the middle troll with his ladle, and the middle troll squeezed in pain.

"I said sit down!"

"I'm starving! Are we `aving horse tonight or what?"

"Shut your cakehole. You'll eat what I give ya'."

As the troll pulled out his handkerchief, Chloe saw that he was wearing a long knife in his belt. Unable to untie the ropes restraining the ponies, she attempted to get the knife from the troll. "How come 'e's the cook? Everything tastes the same. Everything tastes like chicken."

"Except the chicken."

"That tastes like fish!"

"I'm just saying, a little appreciation would be nice. 'Thank you very much, Bert,' 'Lovely stew, Bert'; how hard is that? Hmm, it just needs a sprinkle of squirrel dung."

The middle troll picked up a mug of drink, but the other troll was then angered at him. "There, that's my grog!"

"Uhh, uhh, sorry."

The troll hit the middle one with his ladle again, knocking him down. He got back up. 'Bert' tasted the soup in his ladle. "Ooh, that is beautifully balanced, that is." He let the troll on the left, Tom, taste some of the soup in the ladle; Tom gulped it down.

"Wrap your tongue around that, mate. Eh? Good, innit? Heh, heh, heh. That's why I'm the cook."

Chloe got behind the middle troll and tried to reach for the knife, but the troll stood up and scratched his bottom, leaving Chloe the feeling of disgust and sickness.

"Me guts are grumbling, I've got to snaffle something. Flesh I need, flesh!" said Tom.

The third troll, Wiilliam, was about to sneeze and reached behind him for his handkerchief, but accidentally grabbed Chloe instead, and sneezed all over her. He then realised that he's not holding any ordinary booger. "Argh! Blimey! Bert! Bert! Look what's come out of me 'ooter! It's got arms and legs and everything." The other trolls gathered around to look.

"What is it?" asked Tom.

"I don't know, but I don't like the way it wriggles around!" William shook her, covered in snot, off the napkin and onto the ground.

"What are you then? An oversized squirrel?"

"I'm a burglar-" just as she realised her error, she corrected herself. "Uhh, servant."

"A Burgla-servant?" said William.

"Can we cook `er?" asked Tom.

"We can try!" William tried to grab Chloe, but she dodged, only to be cornered by Bert.

"She wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when she's skinned and boned!"

"Perhaps there's more Burgla-servants around these parts. Might be enough for a pie."

"Grab her!"

"It's too quick!" said William.

As the trolls tried to catch her, she ran around trying to dodge them. Bert accidentally hit William with his ladle while trying to hit Chloe. She was eventually caught by the legs by Tom, and held upside down in the air. "Come here, you little... Gotcha! Are there any more of you little fellas `iding where you shouldn't?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"She's lying."

She shook her head rapidly in fear. "No I'm not!"

"Hold 'er toes over the fire. Make 'er squeal." said William.

Kili suddenly ran out of the bushes and cut William in the leg, making him howl and fall down. "Drop her!"

"You what?" said Tom.

"I said, drop her."

Tom threw Chloe at Kili; Chloe landed on Kili, knocking them both down. The rest of the Company charged out of the bushes yelling and brandishing their weapons. They began fighting the trolls, hacking, slashing, and hammering their legs. As the dwarves fought, Chloe grabbed William's knife and cut the ropes, freeing the ponies. Tom, seeing this, grabbed her. The dwarves stopped fighting when they saw the trolls holding Chloe by the arms and legs.

Kili began to fear her fate, "Chloe!"

Thorin as well. "No!"

Tom laughed. "Lay down your arms, or we'll rip hers off." Thorin looked at Chloe in frustration, unsure. When she shook her head silently, he then planted his sword in the ground. The others dropped their swords and weapons as well.


	11. Chapter 12

The trolls tied Dwalin, Bofur, Dori, Ori and Nori onto a spit and were roasting them over a fire; the rest (Thorin, Kili, Gloin, Bombur, Balin and Oin), and Chloe, are tied up in sacks nearby.

"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly." said William.

"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." said Bert.

Dori huffed in annoyance. "Is this really necessary?"

"Ooh, that does sound quite nice."

"Untie us, you monsters!" said Oin.

"Take on someone your own size!" said Gloin.

The dwarves on the spit and in the bags were all making noises and talking in fear.

"Never mind the seasoning; we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone."

Hearing what Tom said, Chloe had an idea. "Wait! You are making a terrible mistake."

Dori shook his head. "Chloe, you can't reason with them, they're half-wits!"

Bofur looked at him with surprise. "Half-wits? What does that make us?"

Chloe managed to stand up, although still tied up in a sack and faced the trolls rather bravely. "Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning."

"What about the seasoning?"

"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." The dwarves yelled at Chloe, calling her a traitor. The ones in sacks kicked at her continuously.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?"

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrarsevant talk."

She then was unsure of what to say, and began thinking of ideas from the top of her head. "Uh, th-the secret to cooking dwarf is, um-"

"Yes? Come on."

"It's, uh-"

"Tell us the secret."

"Ye-yes, I'm telling you, the secret is … to skin them first!"

"Tom, get me the filleting knife."

Gloin struggled even more "If I get you, you little-"

"I won't forget that!" said Dwalin.

"What a load of rubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all."

Out of the corner of her eye, she Gandalf slipping behind some trees nearby.

"`e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf! Nice and crunchy." William grabbed Bombur, who was in a sack, and dangled him upside down over his mouth, about to eat him.

Chloe shook her head. "Not-not that one, he-he's infected!"

"You what?"

"Yes, He's got worms in his... tubes." William dropped Bombur back into the pile of Dwarves in disgust. "In-in fact they all have, they're in-infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

Oin looked to the others. "Parasites, did she say parasites?"

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" shouted Kili.

"What are you talking about, lassie?" said Gloin.

The rest of the dwarves chimed in about how they don't have parasites and how Chloe is a fool. Chloe rolled her eyes as the dwarves mess up her plan. Thorin, understanding Chloe's plan, kicked the others. They then understood and went along with it. All the dwarves began proclaiming about how they're "riddled" with parasites.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm."

"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!"

"We're riddled."

"Yes, I'm riddled."

"Yes we are. Badly!"

"What would you have us do, then, let 'em all go?" said Tom.

Chloe purposely tilted her head to the side. "Well..."

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!"

Chloe was angered instantly at the insult. "Ferret?"

"Fools?"

Gandalf appeared on top of a large rock above the clearing. "The dawn will take you all!"

"Who's that?" asked Bert.

"No idea." said Tom.

"Can we eat `im too?" asked William.

Gandalf struck the rock with his staff, splitting it in half and allowed the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touched the trolls' skin, they began turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there were three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. All the dwarves cheered for Gandalf. Of course, the dwarves on the spit, including Dwalin, still looked uncomfortable.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" shouted Dwalin.


	12. Chapter 13

It was morning; the dwarves had been freed from the spit and from the sacks. Gandalf walks to one of the troll statues and thumps it with his staff, with a pleased smile on his face. "Where did you go to, if I may ask?" asked Thorin.

"To look ahead."

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar."

"She had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Thorin looked repentant. Gandalf and Thorin examined the statues of the trolls. "They must have come down from the Ettenmoors."

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" asked Thorin.

"Oh, not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf and Thorin looked meaningfully at each other. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby."

The company found a large cave nearby, and they entered it. It was dark and damp with leaves and twigs lying all over with a small patch of wet mud here and there, giving their clothing a dark brown and cold coating. Nori cringed up his nose from the foul smell. "Oh, what's that stench?!"

"It's a troll hoard. Be careful what you touch."

As they entered the cave, many of the dwarves coughed and retched at the air. Inside, they found piles of gold coins and other treasures in caskets. Their faces lit up in surprise and their eyes revealed a sudden but small liking for the pieces of jewellery here and there. "Seems a shame just to leave it lyin' around. Anyone could take it." said Bofur.

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel."

While exploring, Thorin found two swords covered in cobwebs. Gandalf approached him. "These swords were not made by any troll." He handed one sword to Gandalf and kept the other one.

Gandalf inspected it and nodded in agreement. "Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf drew the sword in his hand out of its sheath a few inches. "These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age." Realising that they were Elven swords, Thorin started to put his away in disgust. "You could not wish for a finer blade." Reluctantly, Thorin held on to the sword. He drew it out of its sheath a few inches as well.

Some of the dwarves filled a chest with treasure, then buried it in a hole in the ground. Dwalin looked on in disgust. "We're makin' a long term deposit." said Balin.

"Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go. Bofur! Gloin! Nori!" said Thorin.

On his way out, Gandalf stepped on something metallic. Brushing aside the leaves beneath him with his staff, he found another sword.

Gandalf exited the cave after the others and headed over to where Chloe was sitting. "Chloe."

"Hmm?"

"Here. This is about your size." He handed Chloe the sword he just found.

Looking at the fine detail and the smoothness of the blade, she shook her head. "I can't take this."

"The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby."

"I have never used a sword in my life."

Gandalf smiled and took her hand in both of his own, gently caressing them. "And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one." He noticed that there was a small tear and wiped it away. "Do not be afraid, my dear. I will be by your side along with everyone else."

"Something's coming!"

"Gandalf-" said Chloe but she was interrupted.

"Stay together! Hurry now. Arm yourselves."

Chloe slowly drew her sword and looked at it once more. She then followed the others, who ran off into the woods.


	13. Chapter 14

Radagast rode at full speed through the forest on his rabbit-drawn sled. Through the corner of his eye he saw Gandalf and pulled up short by the Company. "Thieves! Fire! Murder!"

Gandalf stood front. "Radagast! Radagast the Brown. Ah. What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong."

His interest was enlightened. "Yes?"

Radagast opened his mouth to speak, but shut it. He opened his mouth again, but closed it again. He had forgotten what he was going to say. "Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue." He curled up his tongue, and looked surprised. "Oh, it's not a thought at all; it's a silly old..." Gandalf pulled a stick insect out of Radagast's mouth. "-stick insect!" The dwarves and Chloe looked flustered. Radagast and Gandalf went off a few paces and spoke privately. "The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows any more, at least nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But worst are the webs."

"Webs? What do you mean?"

"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a Wizard. I followed their trail. They came from Dol Guldur."

Gandalf''s eyes widened. "Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned."

"No, Gandalf, it is not. A dark power dwells there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror. One that can summon the spirits of the dead. I saw him, Gandalf. From out of the darkness, a Necromancer has come."

"Necromancer..." he whispered. "Are you sure?"

Radagast pulled out a cloth-wrapped package and handed it to Gandalf who untied it and opened it; upon seeing its contents, he looked concerned. "That is not from the world of the living."

Suddenly, a howl was heard in the distance.

Chloe turned toward the echo, goose bumps absorbing her skin. "Was that a wolf? Are there-are there wolves out there?"

Bofur looked at her. "Wolves? No, that is not a wolf."

From behind a nearby crag, a Warg appeared; it leapt into the midst of the Company, knocking down one of the dwarves. Thorin struck and killed it using Orcrist. Another Warg attacked from the other side; Kili shot it with an arrow, bringing it down. However, there was back up, only to be killed by Dwalin.

Thorin gained realisation and fear but bravery filled his eyes. "Warg-Scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" asked Chloe.

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" said Gandalf, glaring at Thorin.

Thorin shook his head. "No one."

"Who did you tell?"

"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?"

Gandalf grabbed his shoulder. "You are being hunted."

Dwalin fidgeted. "We have to get out of here."

Ori shouted, "We can't! We have no ponies; they bolted."

Radagast stepped in. "I'll draw them off."

"These are Gundabad Wargs; they will outrun you."

Radagast shook his head at Gandalf. "These are Rhosgobel Rabbits; I'd like to see them try."


	14. Chapter 15

Yazneg, the orc leader of the Warg Riders, and his Wargs were searching through the forest for the Company; suddenly, Radagast and his rabbits shot out of the forest, and the Wargs started to chase him. "Come and get me! Ha ha!" shouted Radagast, laughing like a maniac. Gandalf watched from behind a rock as Radagast and the Wargs disappeared in the distance.

He then urged the others away. "Come on!" The Company rushed across a rocky plain. In the distance, Radagast was still being chased by the Wargs. One of them crashed while trying to catch him. As the Company ran across the plain, they saw the Wargs not too far from them, so they hid behind the rocks. "Stay together."

"Move!" As the Company ran, Radagast drove his sled beneath an overhanging projection of rock; he ducked, but the Orc on the Warg behind him got knocked off. As the chase continued, Thorin stopped behind a rock so that he was not seen by the Wargs. Ori started to run out of the cover.

"Ori, no! Come back!" said Thorin.

Gandalf urged them further. "Come on! Quick!"

As the dwarves continued their running, Chloe turned to Gandalf. "Where are you leading us?"

Gandalf didn't answer. As the Warg scouts chased Radagast, one of them stopped and scented the air. The dwarves, Chloe and Gandalf took cover behind an outcropping of rock. The scout and his Warg appeared on top of the outcropping, scenting the air. Thorin looked at Kili and nodded; readying an arrow, Kili quickly stepped out and shot the Warg. The Warg and the orc on it fell near the dwarves, and the dwarves killed them. The sounds of their fight carried quite far; the other Wargs and Orcs stopped chasing Radagast as they heard roars and screams from behind the rocks.

"The Dwarf-scum are over there! After them!" shouted Yazneg.

The Warg scouts howled as they stopped pursuing Radagast and began pursuing the Company. Gandalf saw it and pushed them away from the dead beasts. "Move. Run!" They through a grassy plain; Wargs began to surround them from all sides.

"There they are!" said Gloin.

"This way! Quickly!" said Gandalf. They ran for a while longer, then halted in a clearing as they saw Wargs on all sides.

"There's more coming!"

"Kili! Shoot them!"

Looking around, Gandalf saw a large rock; he ran toward it and disappeared.

"We're surrounded!" Kili began shooting at the Warg and the Warg-riders, killing some of them.

"Where is Gandalf?" he asked.

"He has abandoned us!" shouted Dwalin.

The dwarves gathered close to each other near the rock Gandalf disappeared by. As Yazneg and his Warg approached, Ori threw a rock at Yazneg with his slingshot, to no effect. Thorin pulled out his sword. "Hold your ground!"

Gandalf popped up from a crack in the rock. "This way, you fools!"

Chloe quickly pushed them all over to where Gandalf was urging them to come to him. "Come on, move! Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!"

As the Wargs approached, the dwarves and Chloe slid into the large crack in the rock, sliding into a cave. Thorin killed a Warg that got too close. Kili shot another. "Nine! Ten!"

"Kili! Run!" shouted Thorin. He and Kili jumped into the crack last. Just as Yazneg and his Wargs reached the crack, a horn sounded, and a group of mounted Elves rushed into the fray, shooting and spearing the Wargs and Orcs. The Company listened to the conflict from inside the crack. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, fell into the cave. Thorin plucked out the arrow and examined its make. "Elves."

There was a pathway at the end of the cave, leading away. "I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?" asked Dwalin.

Bofur rolled his eyes. "Follow it, of course!"

Gandalf nodded in agreement. "I think that would be wise."

The Company began following the path. It was quite narrow, and it was a crack between two tall cliffs. At times, the dwarves had difficulty going through. The pathway eventually opened out into an open area; there was a valley below.

Gandalf began laughing in relief and joy. "The Valley of Imraldis. In the Common Tongue, it's known by a another name."

Chloe whispered the name to herself, "Rivendell." She began to rapidly admire the beauty before her.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea."

Thorin glared dangerously at the grey wizard, angry. "This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy."

Gandalf shook his head. "You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us." said Thorin.

"Of course they will." said Gandalf. "But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me."

The Company walked across a bridge and entered Rivendell. A few elves were seen strolling about and Chloe gazed in awe at the beauty of the place.

A dark-haired elf walked elegantly down a flight of stairs and greeted them warmly. "Mithrandir."

Gandalf smiled. "Ah, Lindir!"

As Lindir and Gandalf greeted each other, the dwarves murmured amongst themselves in distrust. Thorin whispered to Dwalin. "Stay sharp."

"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." (We heard you had crossed into the Valley).

Gandalf nodded. "I must speak with Lord Elrond."

"My lord Elrond is not here."

Gandalf was surprised. "Not here? Where is he?"

Suddenly, the Elvish horns from earlier were heard again. The Company turned around and they saw a group of armed horsemen approaching along the bridge at a rapid rate. "Hold ranks!"

The dwarves bunched up together into a tight circle with their weapons pointed outward; the mounted Elves arrived and rode in circles around the dwarves. Eventually, they stopped, and one elf, Elrond, separated himself from the others. "Gandalf."

Gandalf bowed gracefully. "Lord Elrond. Mellonnen! Mo evínedh?" (My friend! Where have you been?)

"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui." (We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass). Elrond dismounted from his horse, then he and Gandalf embraced. "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near." He held up an Orc sword and showed it to everyone, then handed it to Lindir.

Gandalf smiled sheepishly. "Ah, that may have been us."

Thorin stepped forward, and Elrond looked upon him with recognition. "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met."

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain."

Thorin nodded. "Indeed; he made no mention of you."

Ignoring this insult, Elrond turned to the dwarves and spoke in Elvish. The dwarves didn't understand what he is saying.]

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." (Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests).

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" said Gloin.

The dwarves grew bellicose and gripped their weapons uneasily. Gandalf spoke exasperatedly. "No, master Gloin, he's offering you food." The dwarves quickly discussed this amongst themselves.

"Ah well, in that case, lead on." said Gloin.

Chloe just laughed through closed lips.


	15. Chapter 16

The dwarves were sitting around tables in the Elven court, eating. However, they were not very appreciative of the Elves' vegetables.

"Try it. Just a mouthful." Dori told Ori.

Ori just replied with, "I don't like green food."

Dwalin looked through a bowl of greens. "Where's the meat?"

Oin held up a vegetable with his knife and looked at in disgust.

"Have they got any chips?" asked Ori.

An Elf maiden played a harp in the background. Elrond and Gandalf walked through the halls of Rivendell. "Kind of you to invite us. I'm not really dressed for dinner."

"Well, you never are." replied Elrond. They both laughed, and they arrived at the courtyard where the dwarves were eating. An elf maiden played a flute; Oin, not liking the sound, stuffed a napkin in his hearing trumpet, and looked happy that he could no longer hear the music.

Still at the feast, Elrond examined the swords Gandalf and Thorin found in the trolls' hoard. He looked at Orcrist first. "This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade, forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin. May it serve you well." He handed Orcrist back to Thorin, who accepted it with a nod. Elrond then examined Glamdring. "And this is Glamdring, the Foe-hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the goblin wars of the First Age..." Meanwhile, Chloe pulled out her sword and looked at it.

"I wouldn't bother, lassie." said Balin. "Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war."

"What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battle?" said Chloe in a disappointed manner.

Balin shook his head. "I'm not actually sure it is a sword; more of a letter opener, really."

"How did you come by these?" asked Elrond.

"We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road, shortly before we were ambushed by orcs." replied Gandalf.

"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" No one answered; Thorin looked perturbed. "Never mind that question then. However," he looked at Chloe whose eyes widened in confusion, "What is an orphan, as well as a servant raised in the shire, only fifteen years of age joining the company of a wizard and dwarves? The only female on this journey as well as the youngest of the company and a human with no skills in battle..." With every word he spoke, he looked deeply into her eyes and she looked into his own. For a few silent moments, his gaze changed from serious to lost. He seemed... frightened of her.

"And not just an ordinary human..."


	16. Chapter 17

That night, Chloe just stood out on the bridge in some spare clothing given to her by one of the servants in order of Lord Elrond. She felt the warm breeze graze over her pale skin while moving her hair behind her and the blue rays of moonlight hovered over her bare shoulders, giving her the chill balancing the warmth and cold in a magnificent blend. And at the same time, she thought about what Elrond said, it raided her mind ever since and she could not figure out what he meant by 'not just an ordinary human'. It confused her and practically insulted her as if it were an impossible riddle not even the most logical or cleverest could find the answer to, even by using magic it cannot be solved. She was struck in a daze, haunted by answers she didn't even know and could never think of without knowing if they were right or wrong. And that scared her even more.

"Are you going to stay out here all night?" A voice made her jump and squeal as if her soul left a body and she turned to the voice... to find Elrond stand nearby.

"My Lord Elrond, you startled me." she said with a gasp while holding her hand to her heart. "I'm sorry, my lord, I just enjoy this magnificent view."

"As do I," he said and slowly paced himself to stand by her side, "It is a sight that my people have treasured for many centuries, long before I have. It is a sight that I wish to pass to the future of my kin. Not many outside our borders have been gifted with it." He faced her with a delicate smile and earned one of her own in return. Together, they both stood to watch the rivers below and the birds and butterflies flutter by the silver and orange trees, and the stars glittering in the royal sky. It was truly a magnificent sight, a thousand distant suns giving daylight in the middle of the dark with the assistance of the silver moon giving the glistening glow in the waters below.

"I wish I could stay here forever." said Chloe. "But I know I cannot."

"And why is that?" asked Elrond with a peak of curiosity.

She sighed, glancing at him for only half a second before turning back to the stars with a faint smile, but it wasn't a smile that represented a smile per say, but more of hidden sadness. "Because..." she sighed again, "Because I feel like there are answers here. Answers that can tell me why there is a part of me that's missing. I don't know what it is but I know that there is at least one thing I need to know."

"Like what?"

"I need to know why it's me that needed to come along, the one who longed for adventure and nearly denied it when I was offered the chance. When I first met Gandalf, he told me that he was looking for someone to share an adventure with, and when he told me I wanted to laugh in his face... But then it got me thinking... I was thinking that instead of an adventure, he offered freedom. But wasn't I free already?" She looked into his eyes with a hope that she would find the one thing she needed, the one thing that would complete her life of unfinished explanations. She needed to know. "Or was I trapping myself inside my heart like a bird in a cage?"

"I do not know what answer it is you seek, my child, but what I may know now is that you are more than you seem..." It was not what she wanted to here and she walked over to the other side of the bridge, gazing at the glistening waters below with sad eyes. Elrond looked on in his own disappointment with himself, because he knew that she wanted answers but he knew that if he told her, she might want to change herself in order to change her life to what she wanted it to be. He wasn't going to let that happen, he wanted her to find out for herself, so the decision to find it was hers and hers alone. "Even though you do not know every word of your story, you have the benefit of gaining the knowledge you so wish to find and keep. And whatever knowledge you possess presently is only a small part of your gift. To gain just one more piece of it would take you to the ends of Middle-Earth and across the oceans, as well as far across every realm that exists. The knowledge you have now is enough to take you to Erebor and gain the bravery of a thousand men, and that is why you are not an ordinary human."

"How am I not an ordinary human?" she asked as she faced him again at a distance, her arms covering herself as if to hide the broken parts of herself, but which parts were actually broken? "All I actually have done for the first half of my life was run off into the woods living nearby while my mother was cooking and cleaning for our neighbours. And ever since she died, all I actually knew how to do from what I discovered for myself was what my mother had done, cooking and cleaning. And now, my master could be back at the shire any day from his trip and he would find that I'm not there. He needs me and I'm not going to be there for him. I'm basically being a disappointment. I doubt that the dwarves would take me to heart as anything positive as a title such as 'friend', I cannot be anything like this without failing at least one person."

He shook his head and stepped closer, "That is not true at all, my child. That is only what your heart wants you to see so you could be given the encouragement of returning home without completing the journey you have needed ever since your life began."

"How are you so sure? Because I don't even know myself. My life is just a mystery, and I cannot even find the answers..." She left without a word.

And for the first time in Lord Elrond's life, he didn't know what to say.


	17. Chapter 18

The next night, Gandalf, Elrond, Thorin, Balin, and Chloe stood in the hall of Elrond's home. Thorin, however, was not very accepting of the fact that he had to give Elrond the map for him to read. "Our business is no concern of elves."

Gandalf flung his arm to his side as well as his staff, "For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map."

"It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets."

"Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond." said Gandalf with a stubbornness of his own.

Thorin though quietly for a few seconds, with everyone looking at him. He began to hand the map to Elrond, and Balin tried to stop him. "Thorin, no!"

Thorin brushed Balin aside and handed Elrond the map. "Erebor. What is your interest in this map?"

Thorin was about to speak, but Gandalf interrupted him. "It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artefact sometimes contains hidden text. You still read Ancient Dwarvish, do you not?"

Elrond walked a little bit away, looking at the map. As the moonlight hit the map, Elrond realised something. "Cirth Ithil."

Gandalf laughed, suddenly feeling like an idiot. "Moon runes. Of course. An easy thing to miss."

Elrond nodded. "Well in this case, that is true; moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."

"Can you read them?" asked Thorin.

Elrond lead them all to an open area outside, on the side of a cliff, with waterfalls all around. The moon was behind some clouds. They walked toward a large crystalline table. "These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight." As they looked up, the clouds covering the moon floated away, and rays of moonlight hit the crystalline table, causing light to flow through the map which has been laid on the table. Ancient runes become visible on the map, and Elrond translated them aloud. "Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."

"Durin's Day?" asked Chloe.

Gandalf turned to her with a gentle smile. "It is the start of the dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together."

"This is ill news." said Thorin. "Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us."

"We still have time." said Balin.

"Time? For what?" asked Chloe.

"To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened."

"So this is your purpose, to enter the Mountain." said Elrond.

"What of it?" asked Thorin.

"There are some who would not deem it wise." He handed the map to Thorin who took it back rather gruffly.

"Who do you mean?" asked Gandalf.

"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-earth." As Elrond walked away, Gandalf turned slowly, thinking deeply.


	18. Chapter 19

The dwarves were having a late-night party in their quarters. They roasted sausages over a fire made by burning the Elvish furniture. Bofur, seeing a heavy Bombur sitting on a bench and eating a large bowl of food, looked at his sausage thoughtfully. "Bombur!" shouted Bofur, and as Bombur looked up, Bofur threw him the sausage. Bombur caught it but the weight of the sausage was just too much for the bench, and the bench broke; Bombur shrieked as he fell to the floor, along with all his food, and the dwarves laughed uproariously at the sight.

Meanwhile, Gandalf and Elrond walked up a flight of stairs and into a pavilion. "With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain. They are determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he's answerable to anyone. Nor for that matter am I." said Gandalf.

"It is not me you must answer to." replied Elrond.

Gandalf looked to see a tall, beautiful, female Elf standing framed against the moonlight. She slowly turned around. "Lady Galadriel."

She smiled sincerely, an otherworldly beauty in sight. "Mithrandir. It has been a long time."

"Nae nin gwistant infanneth, mal ú-eichia i Chíril Lorien." (Age may have changed me, but not so the Lady of Lorien). Galadriel's smile widened with the compliment, taking it to heart. "I had no idea Lord Elrond had sent for you."

A voice sounds out of the darkness. "He didn't. I did."

Gandalf turned to see a man with straight silken white hair and a long bushy-combed beard, unwrinkled robes of gleaming white along with eyes of pitch black. "Saruman."

Saruman smiled. "You've been busy of late, my friend."

* * *

The White Council was composed of Saruman, Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf. Gandalf and Saruman satt at a table; Elrond and Galadriel either stood or walked about. Behind the horizon, dawn was slowly breaking through the dark night.

"Tell me, Gandalf, did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?" asked Saruman.

"Unnoticed? No, I'm simply doing what I feel to be right." said Gandalf.

"The dragon has long been on your mind." said Galadriel.

Gandalf nodded. "This is true, my lady. Smaug owes allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy, a dragon could be used to terrible effect."

"What enemy?" asked Saruman. "Gandalf, the enemy is defeated. Sauron is vanquished. He can never regain his full strength."

"Gandalf, for four hundred years, we have lived in peace." said Elrond. "A hard-won, watchful peace."

"Are we? Are we at peace? Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked us on the road."

"Hardly a prelude to war."

"Always you must meddle, looking for trouble where none exists." said Saruman accusingly.

"Let him speak." said Galadriel in a gentle but commanding tone.

Gandalf nodded his thanks to the Lady of Lorien. "There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug. Something far more powerful. We can remain blind, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. A sickness lies over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it 'Mirkwood'. and they say..."

Saruman interrupted. "Well, don't stop now. Tell us about the woodsmen say."

"They speak of a Necromancer living in Dol Guldur, a sorcerer who can summon the dead."

Saruman's eyes widened. "That's absurd. No such power exists in the world. This... Necromancer is nothing more than a mortal man. A conjurer dabbling in black magic."

Gandalf nodded. "And so I thought too. But, Radagast has seen-"

"Radagast? Do not speak to me about Radagast the Brown. He is a foolish fellow." said Saruman.

Gandalf nodded his agreement. "Well, he's odd, I grant you. He lives a solitary life."

"It's not that. It's his excessive consumption of mushrooms. They've addled his brain and yellowed his teeth. I warned him, it is unbefitting of the Istari to be wander in the woods..."

Saruman's voice faded away as Galadriel focused on Gandalf, and spoke to him in his mind. "You carry something. It came to you from Radagast. He found it in Dol Guldur."

"Yes."

"Show me."

Gandalf lifted Radagast's package, which he had in his lap, and placed it on the table. It let out a dull thud.

"…or I'd think I was talking to myself…"

"What is that?" asked Elrond.

"A relic of Mordor." said Galadriel.

Elrond, who was reaching out to unwrap the package, drew his hand back. He then reached for it again and opened it, revealing the sword Radagast took from the spirit in Dol Guldur. The White Council members looked upon it in shock. "A Morgul blade."

"Made for the Witch-king of Angmar, and buried with him." said Galadriel. "When Angmar fell, men of the North took his body and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High-Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried them, in a tomb so dark it would never come to light."

"This is not possible." said Elrond. "A powerful spells lies upon those tombs; they cannot be opened."

"What proof do we have this weapon came from Angmar's grave?" asked Saruman.

Gandalf smiled sadly. "I have none."

"Because there is none." said Saruman, giving Gandalf a look of large accusation by bringing what was possibly false information. "Let us examine what we know. A single Orc pack has dared to cross the Bruinen. A dagger from a bygone age has been found. And a human sorcerer, who calls himself the Necromancer, has taken up residence in a ruined fortress. It's not so very much, after all. The question of this dwarvish company, however, troubles me deeply. I'm not convinced, Gandalf; I do not feel I can condone such a quest. If they'd come to me, I might have spared them this disappointment. I do not pretend to understand your reasons for raising their hopes…"

Saruman's voice faded away as Galadriel again focused on Gandalf. She spoke to him through his mind once again. "They are leaving."

Gandalf nodded. "Yes."

"You knew."

Saruman just raddled on. "…I am afraid there is nothing else for it."

Gandalf nodded. Galadriel smiled slightly. A step was heard, and they all turned around; Lindir came up and bowed. "My Lord Elrond; the dwarves and the girl... they've gone."


	19. Chapter 21

"You will follow them?" asked Galadriel.

Gandalf nodded. "Yes."

"You are right to help Thorin Oakenshield. But I fear this quest has set in motion forces we do not yet understand. The riddle of the Morgul blade must be answered. Something moves in the shadows, unseen, hidden from our sight. It will not show itself, not yet. But every day it grows in strength. You must be careful." Gandalf nodded in agreement as well as a thank you for being concerned. He turned and started walking away. When he had gone a short distance, Galadriel spoke again. "Mithrandir? Why the girl? Why her when she is so young and has so much to live for?"

Gandalf shook his head. "I don't know. Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Chloe was one of the simplest of folks of any kind, she always cared for others and would help them in any way possible. I knew her mother when she was but a young girl, and Chloe is like her in so many ways, so spirited and kind... longing for adventure... She may not be the strongest among us in physicality, but she has more than just a pure heart. Why Chloe Chandler? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and she gives me courage."

Galadriel suddenly appeared in front of Gandalf, and she took his old, weary hands in hers. "Do not be afraid, Mithrandir. You are not alone." She tucked a loose strand of Gandalf's hair back. "Ae boe i le eliathon, im tulithon." (If you should ever need my help, I will come).

Gandalf bowed and Galadriel gently moved her hands away from his. And when Gandalf looked up once more, Galadriel had disappeared.

* * *

The Dwarves and Chloe were hiking through the wilderness of Middle-earth, over ranges, mountains, and plains. They're crossing the Misty Mountains; the trail was narrow and dangerous, with a cliff on one side and a sheer drop on the other. There was a fierce storm in the air, with lightning and rain all around. "Hold on!" shouted Thorin. As Chloe walked, the stone beneath her feet gave away, and she started falling into the chasm; Dwalin managed to pull her back up just in time. "We must find shelter!"

Dwalin shouted, "Watch out!" Chloe and the Dwarves looked up and saw a massive boulder hurtling through the air; it hit the mountain side above them, causing rocks to fall all around them as they pressed themselves against the mountain.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle!" said Balin. "Look!"

A stone giant reared up from a nearby mountain; it ripped off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain. "Well bless me, the legends are true." said Bofur. "Giants; Stone Giants!"

"Take cover: you'll fall!" shouted Thorin.

"What's happening?" asked Kili.

The first giant threw the boulder far in the air; another stone giant appeared from behind the Company, and it was hit in the head. The dwarves yelled at each other to brace and hold on, and the rocks beneath their feet began to give way from all the vibrations and from the impact of the falling rocks. The ground between some of the Company members had split and part of the group is on one side whereas the rest where on another. "Kili! Grab my hand!" shouted Fili. "Ki..." As the two stone giants fought with their fists, the dwarves held on tight as they were flung around. One of the groups managed to jump to a different spot. A third stone giant appeared, and it threw a boulder at the head of one of the first two. That one fell over; as the first group watched, it appeared to them that the other group of the Company had been smashed to bits. The hurt stone giant lost its footing and fell down the chasm.

Thorin grew anxious and desperate. "No! No! Kili!"

The group rushed to the spot where the others appeared to have been crushed, but they were safe. "We're all right! We're alive!"

Bofur looked around, and Chloe wasn't there. "Where's Chloe? Where's the girl?"

Ori pointed to her as soon as he spotted her. "There!"

"Get her!"

Chloe was seen by the Dwarves hanging onto the edge of the cliff with just her fingertips. Ori dove onto the ground and tried to grab Chloe's arm, but she slipped and fell another few feet before she caught another handhold. As the dwarves tried to pull her up unsuccessfully, Thorin swung down on the cliff next to Chloe and boosted her up, where the others pulled her to safety. Dwalin tried to lift Thorin back up too, but Thorin lost his grip and began falling too; however, Dwalin, with much effort, was able to pull him back up. "I thought we'd lost our burglar."

"She's been lost ever since she left her home." said Thorin. "She should never have come. She has no place amongst us, Dwalin!"

Upon hearing this, Chloe felt like she had just been stabbed in the heart with a dagger and hit over the head with a large stone. She knew that she didn't have a completely welcomed place among the Dwarves but she didn't think that it would hurt when Thorin would say it aloud.


	20. Chapter 22

The Company was resting in the cave; all the dwarves asleep. Chloe, only pretending to be asleep, stealthily opened her eyes and looked around. Seeing that no one was watching, she quietly rolled up her blankets and packed her things. Grabbing her pack, she started to leave the cave, tiptoeing over the sleeping dwarves.

Bofur, who was standing watch, saw Chloe trying to leave. He jumped up and tried to stop her. They whispered so as not to wake the others.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Chloe turned to him with fear and regret at the same time. "Back to Rivendell."

Bofur shook his head with wide eyes. "No, no, you can't turn back now, you're part of the Company. You're one of us."

"I'm not though, am I?" she asked. "Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a burglar, I am a servant from the shire, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out of the door."

Thorin, who was awake, stared thoughtfully at the wall as he listened.

Bofur nodded sadly. "You're homesick; I understand."

Chloe shook her head. "No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do - you're dwarves. You're used to - to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere." Bofur looked offended, and Chloe was repentant. "I am sorry, I didn't..." Thorin listened on.

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." Bofur smiled and placed his hand on Chloe's shoulder; Chloe soon turned and began to walk away. "What's that?" Something was glowing; Chloe pulled her sword partway out of its sheath and saw that it was glowing bright blue, meaning Orcs were nearby. Thorin raised his head as he heard strange machinery noises and saw cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave.

"Wake up. Wake up!"

Before anyone can react, the floor of the cave collapsed downwards; the floor was really a giant trap door. The entire Company fell down a chute, slid through a tunnel, and landed in a giant wooden cage. As they struggled to get up, a horde of goblins attacked them, took away their weapons, and dragged them all away. As the dwarves were lead away kicking and yelling, Chloe somehow was missed by the goblins; not seeing her they left her behind. Nori, looking over his shoulder, saw this happen. Chloe scampered behind some railing to hide as she watched the goblins proceed through the tunnels. Bats flew in the darkness. Chloe drew her sword, which was glowing bright blue, and slowly followed the goblins. Suddenly, one goblin jumped out in front of her and rushed at her with his sword. After a brief fight in which Chloe barely managed to keep herself alive, the goblin and Chloe both fell over the edge of a platform and through the darkness.

Meanwhile, the goblin horde brought the dwarves through a vast network of tunnels and wooden bridges to the throne room and platform of the Great Goblin. The Great Goblin was a massive Goblin sitting on a throne, holding a mace topped with a skull. He was far larger than any other goblin, and he was incredibly ugly, with warts all over his swinging chin. The dwarves' weapons were piled together. The Great Goblin jumped off his throne, trampling several goblins, and approached the Company.

* * *

Chloe regained consciousness and found herself in a dark and gloomy cavern, lying behind a clump of mushrooms. She saw the goblin who attacked her lying nearby, nearly dead. Suddenly, Chloe saw a strange figure approaching the goblin. It was boney and insanely hideous. "Yes. Yes. Yes! Yes! Gollum. Gollum." Chloe, out of sight behind the mushrooms, watched as the creature circled around the goblin. It then began pulling the goblin away by the feet. Suddenly, the goblin woke up and began flailing around. In a fit of rage, the creature grabbed a rock and pounded the goblin on the head with it, knocking it unconscious again. As Chloe watched in horror, a golden ring fell out of the creature's loincloth and fell on the floor. The creature resumed pulling the unconscious goblin away. "Nasty goblinses. Better than old bones, Precious; better than nothing."

Chloe, emerging from her hiding spot and retrieving her sword, followed after The creature. By the light of the sword, she saw the Ring on the ground and she picked it up, examining it. Hearing the creature singing in the distance, Chloe put the Ring into her pocket and followed the sound of the voice. "Too many boneses, Precious! Nothing of flesh! Shut up! Get its skin off. Start with its cold hard lands, they bites our hands, they gnaws our feet. The rocks and stones, they're like old bones, all bare of meat. Cold as death, they have no breath, it's good to eat!"

Rounding a corner, Chloe saw the creature silhouetted on top of a rock in the middle of a small lake. It was singing as it was beating the goblin's body. It smashed the goblin in the head again with a rock. Seeing the glow of Chloe's sword, it looked up. Chloe quickly hid behind a rock, realising that her sword was still glowing brightly. However, the sword's light started flickering, then completely died out, signifying that the goblin was dead. Chloe peeked out from behind the rock, then was shocked to see that the creature was no longer there. We shall for now call it Gollum. Gollum stealthily paddled through the lake in his little boat, using his hands as paddles. Chloe slowly looked up and found Gollum on a rock above her; Gollum jumped down in front of her. "Bless us and splash us, Precious! That's a meaty mouthful." Gollum approached Chloe, but she placed the point of her sword on Gollum's throat, causing Gollum to retreat in fear. "Aaahh. Gollum. Gollum. Ack!"

"Back. Stay back. I'm warning you, don't come any closer." she said, slightly stuttering over her words.

"It's got an elfish blade, but it's not an Elfs. Not an Elfs, no. What is it, Precious? What is it?"

"My name is Chloe Chandler."

"Chandleres? What is a Chandleres, Precious?"

Not wanting to be a liar, she told him straight out. "A servant from the Shire at Bag End."

"Oh! We like Goblinses, batses, and fishes, but we hasn't tried servantses before. Is it soft? Is it juicy?"

As Gollum approached again, Chloe held out her sword in front of him and wildly waved it about. "Now, now, K-keep your distance! I'll use this if I have to!" Gollum snarled at Chloe, causing her to step back. "I don't want any trouble, do you understand? Just show me the way to get out of here, and I'll be on my way."

"Why, is it lost?"

She nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes, and I want to get unlost as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Gollum answered in a different voice than before; it was a happier tone, a childish one. "Ooh! We knows! We knows safe paths for servantses. Safe paths in the dark." The Gollum side suddenly took over the childish side; this exchange of control happened several more times in the rest of their conversation. "Shut up."

She raised her brow at him. "I didn't say anything."

Gollum gave her a deadly glare of annoyance. "Wasn't talking to you. But yes, we was, Precious, we was."

"Look, uh, I don't know what your game is, but I-"

Gollum interrupted. "Games? We love games, doesn't we, Precious? Does it like games? Does it? Does it? Does it like to play?"

"Maybe?"

He held up his hands, then began reciting a riddle. "What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees. Up, up, up it goes, and yet, never grows."

"...The mountain."

He began laughing uproariously. "Yess, yess, oh, let's have another one, eh? Yes, come on, do it again, do it—do it again. Ask us. No! No more riddles. Finish her off. Finish her now. Gollum! Gollum!" Gollum snarled, and began rushing at her to kill her, but Chloe held out her hand to stop him and began speaking.

"No! No, no, no. I wa—I want to play. I do. I want to play. I can see you are very good at this. S—so why don't we have a game of riddles? Yes, just, just you and me."

Chloe crouched until she was level with Gollum; Gollum scuttled forward, close to Chloe, whispering excitedly. "Yes! Yes, just, just—just us."

Chloe nodded. "Yes. Yes. And—and if I win, you show me the way out."

"Yes. Yes -" Gollum tok over and snarled, turning away from Chloe. Gollum's two personality's talked to each other. "And if it loses? What then? "Well, if it loses, Precious, we will eats it!" Gollum laughed to himself, then turned back to Chloe. "If Chandler loses, we eats it whole."

There was a pause for several seconds as Chloe digested this new information. "Fair enough."

Chloe stood up and put her sword away as Gollum looked on interestedly. "Well, Chandler first." As Chloe thought of a riddle, Gollum rested his hands and chin on the edge of a rock.

"Thirty white horses on a red hill. First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still."

As Gollum thought, he kept opening his eyes and mouth as if he knew the answer, then changed his mind. This went on for several seconds, until he finally replied questioningly. "Teeth?" Chloe looked unhappy, as the answer was correct. Gollum became ecstatic and laughed throatily. "Teeth! Yes, my Precious. But we—we—we only have nine." Gollum displayed his mouth, showing that he really did only have nine teeth. Chloe was disgusted. Gollum began reciting his next riddle, while getting closer and closer to her. Chloe kept a large rock between the two of them. "Our turn. Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters."

She turned away to look at the water in order to think. "Just a minute."

As she walked off thinking, Gollum's evil face turned into a childish and excited face. "Oh, oh! We knows. We knows! Shut up."

As Chloe observed the water, she noticed tiny waves forming as a breeze ruffled the surface of the water. "Wind. It's wind! Of course it is."

Gollum snarled in frustration and began slinking around, approaching her. "Very clever, servantses, very clever." As he got too close for comfort, Chloe pulled out her sword and pointed it at Gollum again, but also began saying her own riddle. "Ah, ah, ah, ah. A—a box without hinges, key, o—or, or lid; yet golden treasure inside is hid."

Gollum thought hard, talking to himself and making many hand motions. "A box...and a lid...and then a key...

"Well?"

"It's nasty. Uh, box, uh..."

"Give up?"

"Give us a chance, Precious, give us a chance!"

In frustration, he began pounding the floor and snarling. He puckered his face up deeply, then suddenly opened his eyes wide as he got the answer. "Eggses! Eggses! [He laughs.] What crunchy little eggses, yes. Grandmother taught us to suck them, yes." As he laughed, a bat made a noise in the darkness. Chloe turned to look for the source of the noise; as she turned back around, she realised that Gollum was gone. Gollum's voice suddenly started sounding like an echo from different parts of the cave. He spoke his riddle from some unknown spot. "Ahh. We have one for you: All things it devours, birds, beasts, trees, flowers. Gnaws iron, bites steel, grinds hard stones to meal. Answer us."

"Give me a moment, please, I gave you a good long while." She tried to think while at the same time she walked around with her sword drawn, looking for Gollum. "I don't know this one."

"Is it tasty? Is it scrumptious? Is it crunchable?" As Gollum said 'crunchable,' he appeared behind Chloe and tried to grab her by the throat, but Chloe jumped away and pointed her sword.

"Let me think. Let me think."

"It's stuck. Chandleres is stuck."

She paced back and forth next to the water, thinking. Gollum smiled eerily and put up his hands in a shrug. "Time's up." Gollum shifted, preparing to leap on Chloe.

"Time. Ti—the answer is time." Gollum snarled in frustration. "Actually, it wasn't that hard."

"Last question. Last chance."

"Ah, uh..."

"Ask us. ASK US!" Although Gollum was smiling sweetly, he had a rock clutched behind his back with which to hit Chloe. The first time he sayd "Ask us," he said it sweetly. He then roared it a second time angrily.

"Yes, yes, alright." She strolled to the edge of the lake to think. She absentmindedly rubbed her pocket and felt the ring inside. "What have I got in my pocket?"

Gollum looked disgusted and angry. "That's not fair. It's not fair! It's against the rules!" In frustration, he threw down the rock he'd been clutching. Chloe made a startled noise. "Ask us another one."

"No, no, no, no. You said 'Ask me a question.' Well, that is my question. What have I got in my pocket?"

Gollum jumped off his rock and approached Chloe; Chloe move to keep a rock between her and Gollum.b"Three guesses, Precious. It must give us three." Gollum held up two fingers to quantify three.

She nodded. "Three guesses. Very well, guess away."

"Handses!"

Chloe pulled her hand out of her pocket just in time. "Wrong, guess again."

Gollum crouched on the floor, trying to think of the answer. He muttered potential answers to himself and slapper the floor in increasing anger and ferocity as he failed to come up with the right answer. "Fish-bones, goblins' teeth, wet shells, bat's wings ... Knife! Oh, shut up."

Chloe shook her head. "Wrong again. Last guess."

"String! Or nothing."

"Two guesses at once; wrong both times." Upon hearing this, Gollum fell to the floor, sobbing. "So, come then, I won the game, you promised to show me the way out."

"Did we say so, Precious? Did we say so?" Gollum slowly turned around and glared hatefully at her. "What has it got in its pocketses?"

She pointed her sword at him. "That's no concern of yours. You lost."

"Lost? Lost? Lost?" Gollum grinned as he slowly approached Chloe, planning to kill her. He reached for something hidden at his side; realising that the item was not there, his face registered his shock. He began groping all over himself trying to find it. "Where is it? Where is it? No! Ahh! Where is it? No! No!" Gollum scuttled around the cave, scattering bones and rocks as he searched in vain for the Ring. He even splashed through the shallows of the lake. His voice broke as he cried. "Lost! Curses and splashes, my precious is lost!"

While Gollum's back was toward her, she realised what it was that Gollum lost and quickly took the Ring from her pocket and held it in her hand behind her back. "What have you lost?"

"Mustn't ask us! Not its business! No! Gollum, Gollum." Leaning over the edge of the lake, he sobbed quietly. As he stared into the water, his sobs ceased and his face became contorted in anger. "What has it got in its nasty little pocketses?" In fear, Chloe clutched the Ring behind her more tightly and pointed her sword at Gollum who slowly looked up in shock and anger. At first, he whispered; he then got louder and louder until he was roaring.


	21. Chapter 23

Back in the throne room of the Great Goblin, dozens of goblins carried massive instruments of torture on their shoulders, bringing them to the Great Goblin. Meanwhile, the Great Goblin was dancing and singing lustily. "Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung! You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung. You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin-town." Grinnah, one of the goblins, was examining the weapons the dwarves brought with them. He picked up Thorin's sword, Orcrist, and slid it a few inches out of its sheath. Recognising the sword, he gasped in horror and threw down the sword. It landed in view of all the goblins who howled in fear and rage as they retreated from it with realisation. The Great Goblin ran rapidly to his throne, trampling many goblins on his way. He spoke loudly, pointing at the sword. "I know that sword! It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks."

As he spoke, Grinnah and the rest of the Goblins began whipping the dwarves with ropes and leapt upon them, biting and slashing. "Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!" Goblins held Thorin down, and one of them pulled out his knife and prepared to behead him.

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion of bright light and a shockwave ripped through the area, flinging goblins in the air and destroying the torturing machines. Everyone was knocked down, including the Great Goblin. When the force of the explosion had passed, most of the lights in the area had been snuffed out; in the background, a shadow with a tall pointy hat walked up. It was Gandalf, holding his staff and his sword, Glamdring. Light slowly returned to the area as the goblins and the dwarves slowly looked up, recovering from the shock. They all stared at the grey wizard with wide eyes.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" said Gandalf.

The dwarves quickly got up and began fighting the goblins. As goblins ran at Gandalf, he killed them with his sword and staff. The Great Goblin, still lying on the ground, saw Gandalf's sword and pointed at it, crying aloud to his goblins. "He wields the Foe-Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!"

Some of the dwarves reached their pile of weapons and began tossing the weapons to each other; they used their weapons to defeat the goblins around them. Oin managed to reclaim his hearing trumpet, although it had been quite flattened. Nori, while fighting, landed on the floor; the Great Goblin ran at him and swung his mace.

"Nori!" shouted one, and Thorin jumped forward and deflected the Great Goblin's blow, causing the Great Goblin to stumble backward and he fell off the edge of his platform, deep into the depths below. The rest of the dwarves and Gandalf continued to fight.

"Follow me. Quick! Run!"

Cutting down the goblins around them, the dwarves and Gandalf ran along a pathway leading away from the throne room.

* * *

Chloe hurried through a cave, fleeing from Gollum, who could be heard very far but so close in the distance. "Give it to us!" Chloe was in a side cave; she saw Gollum running past the entrance of the cave she was in. Gasping, she turned around and tried to run through a crack in the wall. However, she got stuck partway through. She looked up in fear as Gollum, attracted by the noise, backtracked and saw Chloe stuck in the crack. Snarling, he approached her. "It's ours. It's ours!" Gollum snarled again. Chloe exhaled and pushed as hard as she could and she managed to slip through the crack, but her waistcoat buttons were ripped off in the process and they hit Gollum in the face. Gollum snarled. On the other side of the crack, Chloe fell down from her exertions. As she hit the ground, the Ring, which was in her hand, flew into the air. As it descended, Chloe reached up to grab, instead of landing in her hand however, the Ring slid onto her finger, and Chloe suddenly became invisible.

Gollum jumped into the area where Chloe was, growling, and looked around for Chloe; however, since Chloe was invisible, he couldn't see her, and Gollum continued down the cave. Chloe, with the Ring on, saw everything as if she was in a different reality. All the colours were muted, and the edges of everything were blurred and wavy. "Thief! Chandler!"

Seeing Gollum run away, Chloe slowly stood up in shock.

* * *

Gandalf and the dwarves ran through the suspended passageways of Goblin Town, with hundreds of goblins running after them. "Quickly!"

"Faster!"

Dwalin saw several goblins running at them from in front, "Post!" He and some of the dwarves cut a guardrail post from the side of the path and they held it out in front of them like a massive spear. "Charge!" He and the other dwarves charged at the oncoming goblins and swept them away with the long rail. Dropping the rail, Dwalin pulled out his axes and began knocking aside goblins. The rest of the company did the same. Gloin hit one goblin who fell and landed on another suspended path, breaking the path and dropping all the goblins on it into the darkness below. The rest of the Company also fought the goblins around them with their various weapons and fighting styles. Several goblins snarled as they swung on ropes toward the dwarves.

"Cut the ropes!" shouted Thorin.

Thorin and some of the dwarves cut the ropes holding a raised platform in place; the platform fell outward, entangling the goblins that were swinging on the ropes. As Kili fought, several goblins started shooting arrows at him. He deflected some arrows with his sword; he then grabbed a nearby ladder and dropped it on the oncoming goblins. Kili and some of the other dwarves ran forward, pushing the ladder and the goblins it had trapped in front of them. As they approached a missing area of the path, the goblins fell down into the darkness; the ladder, however, acted as a bridge for the dwarves to cross to the rest of the path. As soon as they crossed it, Dwalin broke the ladder, preventing the goblins chasing them from crossing it.

"Quickly!" shouted Gandalf.

The dwarves and Gandalf continued running through the maze-like paths; they managed to get on a section of the path suspended by ropes from above. They sliced some of the ropes, and the pathway swung away from the rest of the path, approaching a different one. "Jump!" said Thorin.

Several of the dwarves managed to jump to the other path; however, before the rest could, the suspended path swung back like a pendulum to where it started, and several goblins leapt on. As the path swung back again, the rest of the dwarves and Gandalf managed to jump to the new path as well; they cut the ropes, causing the swinging path and the goblins on it to fall. The dwarves and Gandalf continued running through the tunnels, killing all the goblins in their way. Gandalf struck a rock above them with his staff, causing the rock to fall down and it began rolling in front of the Company, squashing all the goblins in their way. Soon, they approached a bridge between two walls of the cavern. As they tried to cross it, the Great Goblin suddenly broke through from underneath the bridge and pulled himself up onto the bridge, in front of the Company. As the Company paused, hundreds of goblins approached them from all sides. "You thought you could escape me?" The Great Goblin swung his mace twice at Gandalf, causing him to stumble back and almost fall. "What are you going to do now, wizard?" Gandalf leapt forward and struck the Great Goblin in the eye with his staff. The Great Goblin dropped his mace and clutched his face in pain. "Ow, ow, ow!" Gandalf stepped forward and sliced the Great Goblin in the belly; the Great Goblin fell to his knees, clutching his belly. "That'll do it."

Gandalf again swung his sword and sliced the Great Goblin's neck, causing him to fall down dead.

His weight caused the bridge to start shaking; suddenly, the section of the bridge on which the company was standing broke away from the rest of the bridge and started sliding down the side of the cavern. The bridge slid at a terrific speed down the cavern's wall, demolishing everything in its way; the dwarves clung on to each other, screaming in terror. The bridge slowed down and landed at the base of the cavern, breaking apart and burying the dwarves in the timber and wood. Gandalf got up from the pile of wreckage and inspected the rest of the dwarves, who were still stuck in the wreckage.

"Well, that could have been worse." said Bofur. Suddenly, the heavy corpse of the Great Goblin landed on the wreckage, squishing the dwarves further. They cried out in pain. "You've got to be joking!"

As the dwarves extricated themselves from the rubble, Kili looked up and saw thousands of goblins running at them. "Gandalf! There's too many! We can't fight them." said Kili.

Gandalf shook his head. "Only one thing will save us: daylight! Come on! Here, on your feet!" The dwarves get up quickly, helping each other out of the rubble, and they run away, following Gandalf.

* * *

Gollum jumped into a tunnel, a tunnel with an exit to the side of the mountain. Daylight was visible through the exit. "Wait, my Precious! Wait! Gollum, Gollum."

Chloe slowly approached, invisible with the Ring on. She had her sword drawn. Hearing a noise, Gollum quickly hid behind a rock. As Chloe watched, Gandalf and the dwarves ran by, escaping through the exit. Chloe, upon seeing her companions, was frantic. The dwarves and Gandalf ran down the side of the steep, tree-covered mountain. Gollum again entered the tunnel, looking for Chloe and the Ring. Chloe, still invisible, put her sword to Gollum's neck, then pulled back to swing the sword and cut off Gollum's head. Before she could swing, however, Gollum turned around, looking down the passageway behind him. He cannot see Chloe, but Chloe could see him. Again, Chloe placed the tip of her sword at Gollum's throat, but she hesitated upon seeing Gollum's extreme sadness. For a second, Gollum looked almost... lonely... lost...

Chloe lowered her sword, pitying Gollum and remembering what Gandalf told her about swords and courage. Chloe then looked determined and took a deep breath, stepping back a few feet. Hearing Chloe's feet, Gollum frowned and began to growl. Chloe ran forward and leapt over Gollum, stepping on Gollum's head and knocking him over in the process. Still invisible, Chloe ran out of the exit. Gollum jumped up and scrabbled around for her, trying to grab the invisible Chloe, roaring all the while.

"Chandler! Thief! Curse it and crush it, we hates it forever!"


	22. Chapter 24

Still invisible, Chloe runs down the mountain after the rest of the Company. Far in front of him, Gandalf paused to count how many dwarves are with him and the dwarves paused to collect their breath. "Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fili, Kili...that's twelve...and Bombur - that makes thirteen. Where's Chloe? Where is our girl? Where is our girl?!"

"Curse the child! Now she's lost?!"

"I thought she was with Dori!" said Gloin.

"Don't blame me!"

"Well, where did you last see her?" asked Gandalf.

"I think I saw her slip away, when they first collared us." said Nori.

"What happened exactly? Tell me!"

Chloe, still invisible, had caught up to the rest of the group. She hid behind a tree as Thorin spoke. "I'll tell you what happened. Miss Chandler saw her chance and she took it! She's thought of nothing but her soft bed and her warm hearth since first she stepped out of the door! We will not be seeing nothing of her again. She is long gone."

Chloe, who was still invisible, heard everything Thorin said. She leant on the tree as she pondered what she had just heard. The dwarves looked at each other. "No, she isn't." Chloe stepped out from behind the tree, no longer invisible. "I was too busy trying to find you to even bother about leaving." The dwarves looked up in shock and relief.

Gandalf laughed as he spoke. "Chloe Chandler! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

She strode forward into the group; she patted Balin affectionately on the shoulder.

"Chloe, we'd given you up!" said Kili.

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!" asked Fili.

"How, indeed." said Dwalin.

There was an awkward silence as Chloe tried to think of what to say. In the end, she gave a nervous laugh and put her hands on her hips. Gandalf was the only one to notice Chloe sliding the Ring into her waistcoat pocket, and he looked a bit perturbed about it. "Well, what does it matter? She's back!"

"It matters! I want to know: why did you come back?" asked Thorin.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my master Bilbo Baggins, as well as the garden with the lavenders and summer roses, all the books I read and the cooking and cleaning as well as visiting the other hobbits. I miss the shire. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, because you don't have one... A home... It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

There was a silence as the dwarves thought about what Chloe said. Gandalf smiled slightly, happy that Chloe has changed so much - for the better.


	23. Chapter 25

Still invisible, Chloe runs down the mountain after the rest of the Company. Far in front of him, Gandalf paused to count how many dwarves are with him and the dwarves paused to collect their breath. "Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fili, Kili...that's twelve...and Bombur - that makes thirteen. Where's Chloe? Where is our girl? Where is our girl?!"

"Curse the child! Now she's lost?!"

"I thought she was with Dori!" said Gloin.

"Don't blame me!"

"Well, where did you last see her?" asked Gandalf.

"I think I saw her slip away, when they first collared us." said Nori.

"What happened exactly? Tell me!"

Chloe, still invisible, had caught up to the rest of the group. She hid behind a tree as Thorin spoke. "I'll tell you what happened. Miss Chandler saw her chance and she took it! She's thought of nothing but her soft bed and her warm hearth since first she stepped out of the door! We will not be seeing nothing of her again. She is long gone."

Chloe, who was still invisible, heard everything Thorin said. She leant on the tree as she pondered what she had just heard. The dwarves looked at each other. "No, she isn't." Chloe stepped out from behind the tree, no longer invisible. "I was too busy trying to find you to even bother about leaving." The dwarves looked up in shock and relief.

Gandalf laughed as he spoke. "Chloe Chandler! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

She strode forward into the group; she patted Balin affectionately on the shoulder.

"Chloe, we'd given you up!" said Kili.

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!" asked Fili.

"How, indeed." said Dwalin.

There was an awkward silence as Chloe tried to think of what to say. In the end, she gave a nervous laugh and put her hands on her hips. Gandalf was the only one to notice Chloe sliding the Ring into her waistcoat pocket, and he looked a bit perturbed about it. "Well, what does it matter? She's back!"

"It matters! I want to know: why did you come back?" asked Thorin.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my master Bilbo Baggins, as well as the garden with the lavenders and summer roses, all the books I read and the cooking and cleaning as well as visiting the other hobbits. I miss the shire. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, because you don't have one... A home... It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

There was a silence as the dwarves thought about what Chloe said. Gandalf smiled slightly, happy that Chloe has changed so much - for the better.

Azog and his Warg Riders got to the top of the mountain. "Run them down! Tear them to pieces!"

He swung his mace forward, and several of his Wargs (without riders) leapt forward and race down the mountain after the Company, howling. Hearing the howling, the Company members realised they were in danger. "Out of the frying pan..." said Thorin.

Gandalf nodded. "... And into the fire! Run! RUN!"


	24. Chapter 26

They all started running down the mountain as fast as they could. The Wargs followed them rapidly as the dusk turned into night. Soon, the foremost Warg caught up to the group and leapt at Chloe who ducked behind a rock and the Warg's jaws snapped in the air over her head. The Warg landed in front of her. Growling, it charged at her. She pulled out her sword and held it in front of her; the charging Warg impaled itself in the head on the sword and fell down dead. Chloe looked on in surprise. A few more Wargs caught up to the fleeing dwarves, but they were quickly dispatched. The Company reached a large outcropping of land with a few trees growing on it; they were trapped there, as there was no way off the outcropping besides a great fall down the mountain.

"Up into the trees, all of you!" said Gandalf. "Come on, climb! Chloe, climb!"

Bifur threw an axe, killing a Warg which had approached him. Bofur jumped off a rock and grabbed a tree branch, using Dwalin's head as a stepping stone to the tree. Other dwarves began climbing into the trees as well. Chloe tried to pull her sword out of the dead Warg's head, but it was stuck firmly. She continued to pull.

"They're coming!" said Thorin.

Gandalf climbed to the top of the furthest tree; Dwalin boosted Balin up. Thorin, Bombur, and the rest climbed up trees too. The main body of Wargs and Warg Riders approached. Chloe finally managed to pull her sword out of the Warg; she looked up to see several more Wargs running at her. She quickly clambered up a tree as the Wargs rushed below her. Dozens of Wargs circled the trees in which the Company members were perched. Gandalf reached out with his staff and picked up a moth sitting in the same tree as him. Bringing the moth close to his face, he whispered to it; he then blew it gently, causing it to flutter away. The Wargs ceased their growling and turned as the White Warg, with Azog on its back, approached slowly. Thorin looked on in shock. "Azog?!"

As his White Warg growled, Azog stroked it and talked ominously. "Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?" (Do you smell it? The scent of fear?) "Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob." (I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain).

Thorin looked stricken with pain and grief, realising that Azog had captured his father. "It cannot be."

Azog spoke to his Wargs and Riders. "Kod, Toragid biriz." (That one is mine.) "Worori-da!" (Kill the others!) At his command, the Wargs leapt forward and tried to climb the trees. They jumped as high as they could, scrabbling at the tree trunks and breaking apart branches in their jaws in their efforts. The trees shook violently at the assault, and the dwarves struggled to hold on. "Sho gad adol!" (Drink their blood!)

With the weight of the Wargs climbing it, the furthest tree from the edge of the cliff (which Chloe and several other dwarves were in) got uprooted from the ground and began leaning wildly. As more Wargs grabbed onto it, the tree tipped over and landed on the next tree; the dwarves and Chloe jumped from the falling tree to the next. However, this tree as well tipped over; like dominoes, all the trees began falling over. All the dwarves, Chloe, and Gandalf managed to jump onto the last tree, on the very edge of the cliff. This tree didn't fall over. Azog laughed. Looking around in desperation, Gandalf spied a pinecone. He grabbed it and used his staff to set the pinecone on fire; he then threw it down amid the Wargs, who retreated in fear of the fire. Azog was startled and angry at the unexpected resistance. Gandalf lit two more pinecones and threw one down to Fili. "Fili!"

Fili caught the pinecone. Chloe and the dwarves gathered pinecones and Gandalf set them on fire; they then threw the flaming pinecones like missiles at the Wargs. All the area around the tree was set on fire, forcing the Wargs to retreat a distance. At least one Warg galloped away with its fur alight. Azog roared in anger and frustration as the dwarves cheered. Suddenly, their cheers turned into cries of fear as the roots of the tree they were in started to give way; the tree tipped precariously over the edge of the cliff, but came to a rest sticking straight out away from the edge of the cliff. Gandalf looked down and saw the ground far, far, below. The dwarves tried to hold on as they got flung around. Ori lost his grip on the tree and fell, but managed to grab on to Dori's leg. "Aahhh! Oh! Oh no!"

Because of the extra weight, Dori lost his grip on the tree as well and fell, but Gandalf quickly swing his staff down and Dori grabbed on to the end of it. "Hold on, Ori!"

Azog growled; Thorin, clinging to the tree, looked at him in hate and anger. Thorin pulled himself up, his sword drawn, and walked down the leaning trunk as Chloe and the others, hanging from the tree, looked on. Thorin ran through the burning ground at Azog and his White Warg. Azog spread his arms wide with a smug grin on his face. Thorin growled as he ran with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouched, then roared as his Warg leapt at Thorin. Thorin tried to swing his sword, but the Warg hit him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground. The other dwarves in the tree looked on in shock. Dori struggled to hold on to Gandalf's staff.

"Help!" said Ori.

As Thorin got back on his feet, panting, Azog and his White Warg wheeled around; they charged at Thorin again. Azog swung his mace and smashed Thorin in the face before Thorin could react. He was brutally flung to the ground by the impact.

"Nooo!" shouted Balin.

Azog roared in sickening excitement. Chloe managed to stand up on the tree. The White Warg clamped its jaws around Thorin and Thorin yelled in pain. Dwalin tried to get off of the tree to assist Thorin, but the tree branches he was holding on were about to break, swinging him precariously over the edge and preventing him from reaching Thorin. "Thorin! Nooo!" Dwalin screamed.

As the White Warg held Thorin in its mouth, Thorin managed to hit its head with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the White Warg threw Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin landed heavily, his sword falling out of his hand. He was almost unconscious. "Biriz torag khobdudol." (Bring me the Dwarf's head).

One of Azog's Warg Riders jumped off his Warg and approached Thorin. Chloe, seeing this, pulled out her own sword in its glowing-blue glory. The orc approached Thorin and placed its sword against his neck; raising the sword, the rider prepared to decapitate Thorin. As he swung his sword down, Chloe threw herself at the orc and knocked him over. As they fought, Chloe managed to stab and kill the orc. As Azog growled in anger, Thorin went unconscious. Pulling her sword out of the dead orc's body, Chloe stood in front of the unconscious Thorin and protected his body. She waved her sword wildly at Azog and the other Wargs. Azog smiled in hatred and spoke in the Black Speech to his Orcs; the translated meaning being... Kill him.

A couple of Wargs and Riders approached her, snarling. Suddenly, Fili, Kili, and Dwalin, who managed to get off the tree, plowed into the Wargs from the side and started fighting them. In the confusion, Chloe yelled and leapt forward, wounding a Warg. The White Warg hit Chloe with his head and sent hier flying, however. As the fighting around them continued, Azog and his White Warg approached Chloe to kill her. Fili, Kili, and Dwalin had been surrounded by Wargs, and Chloe was at Azog's mercy. Suddenly, the moth returned to Gandalf. Dori slipped from the end of Gandalf's staff, and Dori and Ori fell toward the ground far below. An eagle swooped out of nowhere and caught them on its back; they yelled in fear as they were carried swiftly away.

Several more Eagles appeared and joined the fray. Some grabbed Wargs and Orcs and tossed them over the cliff. Others knocked down trees, which crushed the Wargs below them. Another Eagle fanned the flames with its wings, causing an inferno which burnt the Wargs. Azog snarled in frustration. One Eagle gently grabbed Thorin and his sword in its talons and flew away. As Thorin was lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slipped off his arm and landed on the ground. Azog roared and jumped back as an Eagle flew by him; the Eagle headed straight for an alarmed Chloe and snatched her off the ground. It then threw Chloe, and she screamed as she fell toward the ground, only to land on the back of another Eagle. The rest of the Eagles proceeded to snatch the dwarves out of the tree and flew away. When only Gandalf was left in the tree, the roots gave way and the tree fell off the edge of the cliff. Gandalf leapt clear of it and was caught by an Eagle. As the Eagles flew away with all the Company, Azog and the few Warg Riders left growled in anger and frustration.


	25. Chapter 27

The Eagles soared through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes. Thorin lied unconscious in one Eagle's talons; the others worried about him. "Thorin!" said Fili.

The Eagles approached a massive rock structure shaped like a bear; it was the Carrock. The Eagle carrying Thorin gently deposited him and his sword on a flat area on top of the Carrock. Another Eagle landed on the Carrock and Gandalf slid off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin. "Thorin! Thorin."

Thorin was not responding. Chloe ran up. Gandalf placed his hand on Thorin's face and whispered a spell. Thorin's eyes fluttered open and he gasped for air. He spoke weakly through spluttered coughs. "The girl?"

Gandalf nodded. "It's all right. Chloe is here. She's quite safe."

By now, the other dwarves had all been landed on the Carrock, and they surrounded the wounded Thorin. Dwalin and Kili helped Thorin up. However, once he stood proud, he shrugged them off and approaches her. "You!" he said in an angered tone. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin advanced until he was face to face with Chloe, who looked worried and frightened. "I've never been so wrong in all my life!" Thorin grabbed Chloe and embraced her deeply and warmly. The other dwarves cheered loudly and slapped each other on the back. Gandalf smiled. Chloe, looking quite surprised, hugged Thorin back. "I am sorry I doubted you."

Chloe shook her head in disagreement. "No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior... not even a burglar." As everyone chuckled, the Eagles flew away, screeching. Thorin looked beyond Chloe and saw something; he strode forward, and the others followed his gaze. "Is that what I think it is?" asked Chloe.

In the distance, on the horizon, they saw the outline of a single, solitary mountain. "Erebor—The Lonely Mountain." said Gandalf. "The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth."

Thorin smiled. "Our home."

A bird cheeped and flew by. "A raven!" said Oin. "The birds are returning to the mountain."

Gandalf nodded as more of the bird song was heard. "That, my dear Oin, is a thrush."

"But we'll take it as a sign - a good omen." said Thorin.

Chloe nodded. "You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us."

The Company looked on at the Lonely Mountain as the sun came up behind them.


	26. Chapter 28

_And so, another part of the adventure will begin as they march the lands across the bridge between them and the mountain. The Company of Fifteen gain the hope with every step they take that the Lonely Mountain will once again return to the Line of Durin. It is a hope that brings a new sun along with a new day as well as a new beginning, an encouragement that things would be better than they were yesterday._

_Thorin had learnt not to judge Chloe before her actions took place along with the fact that she is kind and loyal, not likely to leave a friend. And that is what she was to him now, a friend and not just any burglar. If she could surprise him once, she would mot certainly be able to do it again. Gandalf had learnt that courage is given with hope and strength, a way of telling oneself that they can still go on because they know that one day they will achieve their goal with success instead of suffering defeat._

_And Chloe, at last, she had learnt that life isn't always the same thing every single day. It was more of the little things in life like an occasional wander that was simply chosen spontaneously and not planned in a diary._

_And we all might know that an adventure was what she needed all along._

_All she needed was a push out of the door._


	27. Chapter 29

***********************THE END!***************************

**(To continue, please move on to the next chapter for the second part of the trilogy)**


	28. Chapter 30

**THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG**


	29. Chapter 31

**PROLOGUE!**

_6 days earlier..._

"Ah, lovely to be in my home again!" said Bilbo as he walked inside his front door. It was the middle of the night and the stars were shining brightly that they were envied by the torches below in the fields of the shire. He was glad to be home, he missed Bag End very much but more so he missed Chloe. He wanted to tell her everything he had done on his travel with Lucius Proudfoot and he also wanted to show her the new book he got, written in 1296, almost as old as he was!

Bilbo lit a match, then used it to light a candle. He walked through a hallway in Bag End, carrying the candle. "Chloe, I'm back! Where are you dear girl?" He searched through every room in the house and he didn't seem to be able to find her. "Oh, she must have gone to deliver some things for the neighbours," he thought aloud and he hobbled over with the candle to his writing desk. It was there that he saw his ink had been used. It itched his curiosity to the surface. "What is this?" he asked himself aloud. It was a letter!

And it read:

_'Dear Mr Baggins,_

_I am afraid that when you return from your journey, I will not be at home. The thing is that I am going away for a while, you won't be seeing me for probably a few months and by the time you read this I have already packed my things and gone. And where I have gone is on an adventure. By the way, the pantry is entry due to thirteen dwarves invited by the wizard, Gandalf the Grey, into our home and they had every single cheese block and biscuit and everything as well as every mug of ale and wine. We left to go to Erebor, a dwarvish kingdom, and we are to fight the dragon Smaug the Terrible._

_Also, I think I need to go on this journey to find answers. Answers about myself. Gandalf the Grey knew about my mother, and I want to know how._

_I will be home again not too far away in time, you will see me again. And as I have left without an official goodbye, I am hereby promising that I will bring you a souvenir, nothing too big or too small but it will last forever as a thank you for giving me a home._

_Sincerely,_

_Your Chloe._


	30. Chapter 32

**_2 months later..._**

_'Focus... Focus...' _Legolas thought to himself, his arrow and bow straight and ready to shoot. ready to make his first kill of the day. Spiders were roaming his home and he needed them at bay and as far away as possible. He was tired of killing them because they breed like bacteria, fast and impossible to be completely rid of, it killed him with anger. Another kill, another death. Every day and every night, he would make his share of death with the spiders and let us just say it has changed him after the first ever shoot he made with such cruelty. It made him stern, merciless and emotionless but there is a way if he could open up and that was with either Tauriel, his closest friend, or with his own mind arguing with his heart. Other than that, he was empty. _'Focus, Legolas... Focus...' _he said once more, and he let go of the arrow. A screech was heard along with the scraping of old bark, and he knew the deed was done. "Everyone, positions!" he said loudly, orderly like the prince he was and will be forever. His troops sprinted and jogged all over the area as more spiders made their way into the clearing seen by Elven eyes. Many were slain, black blood was spilt and webs were layered over tree roots here and there, another day of defending the Kingdom of Mirkwood.

* * *

They sprinted home after another exhausting, scheduled and predictable day of protecting the House of Thranduil, carrying their light weapons of bows and daggers so as to greet their families when they entered their homes. Legolas could see the smiles of a few couples as they sealed their eternal love with a passionate kiss, but the thing with this sight was... he was disappointed, and the worst part of it was that he didn't even know why. Tauriel, captain of the guard and long-life friend of the royal family for over 600 years, could see this part of Legolas when he could not even notice himself. It was strange to see him like this, and she was determined to find out why he was this way. For two weeks he had been like this, and he did not even say a word of it even to his own father so there must something REALLY turning his world to the side. Swiftly and silently with the cat-like grace of the Elven folk, she walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "What is the matter, Legolas?"

He shook his head as if to wake up from some kind of trance, "Oh, Tauriel." he said, and he knew it like the back of his mind that she wasn't going to give up until she found the truth so he decided to say it anyway. "I feel like there is something missing."

"Like what?" she asked.

He sighed, "I see the troops, leaving to go home to their loved ones, some have found their One... I look at them and I see a... a wonderful bond shared between them, and they are truly happy. And when I looked in the mirror..." he stared off into the clearing, and it was there that he could see a stream leading to a wide lake. "I saw myself and... I wanted what they have. I want a bond with someone, someone special." He turned to her, "What is it? I do not even understand it." Tauriel just tried not to laugh. "What?" he asked, confusion raping him. She laughed, nearly falling over and she had to clutch the tree nearby to keep her standing. "What is it? Why are you laughing?"

"Legolas you fool!" she exclaimed. "You are in love!"

* * *

**_Meanwhile..._**

Chloe stared up into the sky, clutching her coat over her shoulders but not properly wearing it. For the past two weeks, she felt... lonely. A part of her felt entirely empty. Gandalf could see this difference, and he knew exactly what it was. She may not believe it but she, being at the perfect age, was falling in love. He only ever saw this in two bloodlines, the royals of Mirkwood and the Chandlers of Faenwood, the two enemies of many long years, more so than the elves and dwarves. And he knew that at the same time, an heir of Mirkwood was in the same position, but in love with who? The question stumped him but he was determined to know who Legolas of Mirkwood and Chloe of Faenwood were in love with. It would not be an easy task but he knew that he was to fulfil it before the journey's end.

"Chloe my dear child." he said sincerely, "Whatever is the matter?" He had to pretend that he didn't know but it was only for now, just so he could have the answers he needed. She said the very words that Tauriel was told by Legolas about seeing others and him on his own, the very same results but in different situations.

His theory was correct. She was falling. Love. And it reminded him... of the long lost prophecy...


	31. Chapter 33

_Once every five thousand years, two heirs belonging to long-life enemies are born to the world. They are said to have a spirit power and, when united, will become the mightiest weapon of all. In the long tale of enemies, the One shall join together and share the bond of eternity together and bring peace to the enemies of many centuries. It is __also said that the Valar shall interfere with this prophecy for the first time and instead of the One just being together for eternity to bring peace, they shall fall in love as soon as the female half reaches precisely one month before sixteen years of age. And even though the One may not have met before, they already fall in love with one another and wish to join together in heart._

_The heirs are said to be the Eldest son of King Thranduil Greenleaf Mirkwood and the Enchantress, Eldest daughter of King William Chandler from Faenwood. If the heirs should complete their task and fulfil their destiny as lovers, the Greenleafs and the Chandlers shall one day fight together in the War of Ancient and forget their past as enemies and rivals._


	32. Chapter 34

The next morning, Chloe and Balin walked together, side by side with Gandalf and Thorin leading ahead and the others following not far behind. Gandalf, however, was still thinking of the prophecy that raided his mind.

_'The heirs are said to be the Eldest son of King Thranduil Greenleaf of Mirkwood and the Enchantress, Eldest daughter of King William Chandler from Faenwood...'_

There was one thing he couldn't understand though, and what he couldn't understand was that as far as he knew, Chloe was not an enchantress, just a simple girl who wanted adventure. If she was an enchantress than he would have known. There was only one Chandler family that he knew, and there was no mention of the child being the Enchantress of Faenwood. But then... He remembered what Fiona had told him... 17 years ago...

**_..._**

_"Gandalf, do you think that my future child will be great one day?"_

_He laughed whole-heartedly. __"No doubt that he or she shall be just as gifted as you are, my dear." Fiona looked at him, smiling. "Why do you ask?"_

_"Because William and I have thought it over for some time, and we would like to have a daughter." He looked at her in shock. "I know that it is a risk, but I love him, he loves me and we both love children and-"_

_"You both want to have a family together." He smiled sincerely. However, it was gone in the next moment,"I know, my dear... But you must know of the consequences of the prophecy, child."_

_She nodded, "I understand, Gandalf. If I am to have a child with William, she would hold the destiny of Faenwood. She will be the light of our kingdom."_

_He nodded again, "And she will protect you against your long-time Enemy Thranduil... I know that you and Mirkwood have had your fair share of hate, but this is not the way to cast yourselves as the more dominant of the fight."_

_She smiled sadly, "I know, Mithrandir, but I'm afraid I cannot change the prophecy. She has to marry Prince Legolas or we all shall be far from peace."_

**_..._**

He woke up from his memory as Thorin called out behind him. "Chloe, we need you to give the lookout! We don't want to run into orcs again, do we?!" She gave a respectful salute before having her sword at the ready and ran ahead to the large rock not too far ahead. Meanwhile, Gandalf still couldn't put together the pieces of the puzzle. _Was she or wasn't she the Enchantress of Faenwood?_


End file.
